SUNDAY 2ND DECEMBER 2018

Fasehun, OPC Founder, Succumbs to 50 Years Battle with Diabetes Buhari, Afenifere, Tinubu, others mourn late Yoruba elder

Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja and Olaseni Durojaiye in Lagos After battling diabetes for over 50 years, founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Frederick Fasehun, eventually gave up the fight in the early hours of yesterday. He was aged 83.

THISDAY learnt that upon taking ill on Wednesday, Fasehun was rushed to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in the early hours of Saturday, where he eventually gave up

the ghost.

A media aide to the famous medical doctor, Adeoye Jolaosho, who confirmed the news, said “We are all devastated.”

Meanwhile eminent

Nigerians, among them President Muhammadu Buhari, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Coordinator of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Chief Gani Adams and

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Stalwart, Chief Olabode George, have continued to mourn Fasehun’s demise even as they extolled his virtues while also praying for a peaceful repose of his soul.

Atiku Returns to Campaign Schedule... Page 8

In a condolence message, signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari commiserated with the Yoruba nation over the passing of Fasehun and also condoled with his family, the Continued on page 8

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S’West APC Disputes Threaten Buhari’s Re-election Tobi Soniyi in Lagos, James Sowole in Akure and Femi Ogbonnikan in Abeokuta The re-election campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari in South-west states

appears to be in disarray due to unresolved disputes arising from the primary elections conducted in the states by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), THISDAY can report.

2019:

THE

With aggrieved aspirants defecting from the APC to other political parties to pursue their aspiration, the intra-party conflicts in Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Osun States, among others, may cost the

president re-election if not nipped in the bud.

The president is banking on the South-west to win the 2019 election.

The situation is very critical in two states: Ogun and Ondo,

C A N D I D AT E S ,

THE

where the governors though claimed are with the president, however allowed their key lieutenants to defect to other political parties.

In Ondo, for instance, some aggrieved aspirants

with allegiance to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, last week, defected from the APC to the African Alliance (AA), citing irregularities and sharp Continued on page 8

CHALLENGES

For Atiku, PDP Govs Are His Weakest Links

Olawale Olaleye

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s bid to become Nigeria’s president might be much tougher than he envisages as governors elected on the platform of his party are the hurdles standing imposingly between him and his aspiration.

It goes without saying that since the momentum that greeted his emergence as the PDP candidate at the October 6, 2018 national convention, Atiku has not been able to rise above that feat the moment he settled for a former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, as his running mate.

Atiku was alleged to have struck a deal with some prominent South-east politicians, amongst them, the Deputy Senate President, Ike

Ekweremadu and the Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, as likely running mate if they supported him to emerge the party’s candidate.

But in the wake of his emergence, he was accused of settling for Obi without as much consulting with other critical stakeholders in the party, particularly those of the South-east and South-south extractions, thus fuelling intense mistrust amongst a majority of them, who then chose to stay away from his presidential affair, because ‘he cannot be trusted’.

Presently, Atiku does not enjoy, in the real sense of it, the support of any of the Southeast governors as they are still bitter over his preference for Obi, when some of them had put in so much to his election as the PDP candidate.

This is even the more Continued on page 8

See THISDAY Weekly Guide to 2019… Pages 18-19

SEEKING PAPAL’S BLESSING...

His Holiness, Pope Francis (left), with a former Governor of Anambra State and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice-presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, during the last Papal’s Audience at the Vatican City, Rome... recently

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ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚΀ Ëž T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE EIGHT

Atiku Returns to Campaign Schedule Yet to be issued US visa

Adedayo Akinwale

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday returned to the country after a short trip to London, the United Kingdom, to continue with his campaign schedule.

It is however not true that the United States government has issued him a visa, contrary to a report by an online newspaper, which went viral last night.

Atiku, who touched ground at exactly 5.45pm yesterday, is

billed to visit Sokoto tomorrow in continuation of his campaign and is also expected to fulfill other campaign obligations as already planned for him by the presidential campaign council.

THISDAY can confirm that the story about Atiku being issued US visa is not true, although the process of issuance of the visa was still in the works as at last weekend.

An online newspaper, had cited family sources as confirming that the former vice-president had left Nigeria for the UK, where he would

spend some time before flying to the US. The online newspaper also reported that former President Olusegun Obasanjo played a “critical� role in getting the American government to issue the visa to his former deputy with whom he was estranged for almost 15 years.

But THISDAY sources – family and political – confirmed that the report was false and that contrary to the assertion that Atiku had just left for the UK from where he allegedly planned to go to the US, he only left the

UK yesterday and flew straight into Abuja at 5.45pm.

Atiku, who is widely travelled, has not been to the US in 13 years, initially fueling speculations that he might be avoiding possible arrest or prosecution.

His political opponents had used his absence from the US not just to taunt but to discredit him.

His alleged row with the US authority began after the FBI investigated a bribery scandal involving William Jefferson, former US congressman, in 2004.

Atiku was accused of

demanding a bribe of $500,000 to facilitate the award of contracts to two American telecommunication firms in Nigeria.

The FBI had searched his residence in the posh neighbourhood of Potomac, Maryland, but no money was found.

The investigators had videotaped Jefferson, who was the congressman representing Louisiana, receiving $100,000 in the $100 bill denomination, which he claimed was meant for Atiku, but the former vice-president has consistently denied the allegation.

Despite Atiku’s claim to innocence, the controversy raged.

Two months before he declared interest in the 2019 presidential race, Atiku granted an interview to Dele Mommodu, celebrity journalist, where he clarified his absence from the US. On Thursday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, had warned the US to be cautious in granting visa to the main opponent of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, a request the US Consulate replied to and said Atiku’s visa matter was purely confidential.

be left to have smooth sail in his re-election bid, his resignation from the campaign council did not surprise many as such.

Inside sources also maintained that the governors’ laidback position to the Atiku project reflected recently during his turbaning as the Waziri of Adamawa, an occasion that coincided with his 72nd birthday and yet, all the PDP governors were absent. “If you ever needed a reason to believe that these governors were working to derail and undermine this project, then, the occasion of Atiku’s turbaning was enough. The governors were conspicuously absent and it was deliberate. Reasons some of them gave later were an afterthought.

They are not on the same page

with him and are clearly running their own show,� a concerned PDP source said.

This, notwithstanding, considered the governors’ dilemma is a repeat of the Olusegun Obasanjo trick that was deployed to use against the South-west governors during the 2003 elections, when he struck a deal with them to return him and in turn, be returned too.

But apart from Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, then Lagos State governor, who was believed to have been tipped off on the Obasanjo plan, other governors: Olusegun Osoba (Ogun), Niyi Adebayo (Ekiti), Lam Adesina (Oyo), Bisi Akande (Osun) and Adebayo Adefarati (Ondo), were all booted out of office, in what was then described as the PDP

tsunami.

Coming from this background, the PDP governors are not oblivious of the fact that this is a familiar trick of the generals and since both Obasanjo and Buhari are generals, they are not certain they would not end up like some of the South-west governors of 2003, who went into the elections without circumspection.

Therefore, while Atiku continues to exude confidence that he would defeat Buhari in 2019, observers contend that those he actually banks on may not be as dependable as he thinks especially, when it appears that their understanding of the survival dynamics for the 2019 election may not be in sync with that of the PDP presidential candidate.

read.

In his reaction, Fasehun’s onetime closest comrade at arms and the National Coordinator of the OPC, Chief Gani Adams, described his death as a great loss to the Yoruba race, Nigeria and the world at large, adding that he left behind a worthy legacy.

Adams, who is the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, said he received the news of his death with “shock and disbelief,� even as he stated that the deceased made outstanding contributions to the progress of the nation in many capacities, and no doubt left behind a worthy legacy through his careers as a renowned medical doctor and politician among others. “It was with shock that I received the sad news of the passing of our Papa and founding father of Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), which occurred today, December 1, 2018.

This, no doubt, is a moment of great grief for the entire family of OPC, Yoruba nation, Nigeria and the world at large,� he said.

He however added: “But it is also clear that the deep sense of loss over the demise

of our beloved leader is shared by many like me. I hasten therefore to address this statement to commiserate with the immediate family over this painful bereavement. “Baba deserves all respects, because he acquitted himself so diligently, and will also be remembered as a distinguished leader in all ramifications, and one that was greatly admired by the general public and his peers as a straight forward and complete gentleman. “On behalf of my family and the entire Oodua Peoples’ Congress, I extend on our sincere condolences on the transition of our beloved leader and father to his family and pray that the Almighty God grants the bereaved family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,� the statement read.

In the same breath, George also lamented the passage of the OPC founder and described him as an “embodiment of a true Yoruba man.�

George said Fasehun was a "quintessential embodiment of principled and unswerving

advocate of the protector of the weak and the defender of the trampled.

"He was a Yoruba Elder with the complete attributes of the Omoluabi culture. But he was also a Nigerian patriot, who fought for justice, truth, fairness and the democratic ethos.

"He was a good man; effortlessly friendly, always calm and unruffled even amid the greatest provocations. He will be sorely missed wherever honesty is cherished, wherever honor, kindness and sincerity of purpose are treasured. May he find solace in the bosom of his Lord," he prayed.

The late Fasehun was a Chinatrained acupuncturist. He was imprisoned for 19 months in December 1996 to June 1998 by the General Sani Abacha regime and participated actively when democracy eventually returned to the country, first as an Alliance for Democracy sympathizer between 1999 and 2003.

Though an Ondo State indigene, he spent a greater part of his life in Lagos State, where his medical practice and hospitality businesses are located.

campaign for Buhari and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in the next presidential election scheduled to hold on February 16.

With its concealed post2019 plan, one of the sources disclosed that the constitution of the group violated an understanding of all political leaders that all groups in the APC should be collapsed into the Mandate Movement, a political group loyal to the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Specifically, the source said the group would definitely become a formidable platform in the state after the 2019 general election, considering its vast support base across all Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

Apart from appointing former Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole as the Director-General in the state, the source said leaders of the group “have appointed in 20 LGAs, 37 LCDAs and 347 wards across the state with a mandate to build formidable political support base in their respective areas of control.�

In a telephone conversation yesterday, Danmole confirmed the establishment of the PMB Support Group, which according to him, was designed to create a new system of presidential campaign in the state.

Danmole said the campaign group, which was founded by Fashola, “is not about going about and dancing. We have raised about 5,000 foot soldiers for Buhari/Osinbajo re-election campaign. The foot soldiers will

move from house to house campaigning for Buhari. “We are inaugurating first layer today. In December, we will add more foot soldiers.

In January, we will add more foot soldiers. Our approach is to talk to people to vote instead of going about dancing. It is the inauguration of 5,000 foot soldiers to campaign for Buhari/ Osinbajo in South-west. “These people are from 347 wards, 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State. We have 15 in each LGA and LCDA. That gives us 885 foot soldiers.

Then, we have Hausa, Igbo and non-indigenes communities, who formed the remaining part of the group,� Danmole said.

FOR ATIKU, PDP GOVS ARE HIS WEAKEST LINKS difficult for these governors, who are believed to be daily facing intense lobby from the president’s men and their colleagues in the APC, a development believed to have given rise to their recent meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Villa.

For their personal and selfish reasons, sources claimed the PDP governors were no longer committed to the Atiku project and might be working to derail the PDP plan to seize power from the APC in next elections, through some of the impossible deals said to being dangled before them.

In the South-east, for instance, Atiku cannot boast of a genuine support from any of the governors, a position they took, neither because of him nor Obi, but because of the perceived

lack of respect for them in the manner he settled for Obi. In the South-south, there is simmering discontents amongst some of the governors too, while others are facing the same pressure of striking a deal with the APC government for Buhari’s election.

For example, the embattled Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel is said to be under intense pressure from the APC to cut a good deal with the presidency on Buhari’s election and also return without any harassment whatsoever.

Although the pressure may not be unconnected to a recent move by five lawmakers to impeach the governor, sources are of the view that the governor is beginning to consider the option given the

challenges and harassment he currently faces.

In the same breath, his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, who has always been alleged of considering a deal with the federal government, gave a subtle indication last week, when he resigned as the South-south coordinator of the Atiku campaign, alleging poor coordination of campaign activities, which according to him did not factor in comprehensive consultations.

Suffices it to reiterate that Wike never wanted Atiku to emerge as the party’s candidate in the first place, a move believed to be part of his long struck deal with the APC, that he would help facilitate the emergence of a weak candidate and in turn,

FASHEUN, OPC FOUNDER, SUCCUMBS TO 50 YEARS BATTLE WITH DIABETES government and people of Ondo State.

President Buhari, who recalled the role played by Fasehun as a leading member of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which campaigned against the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, prayed that the Almighty God would comfort all those mourning the octogenarian and grant his soul peace.

Reacting to his passing, the APC National Leader, Tinubu, described the late Fredrick “as a renowned pro-democracy and good governance activist, committed democrat, tested political player and Yoruba nationalist, who left behind fine legacies,� and charged his family and associates to keep his fine legacies alive.

Tinubu’s reactions were contained in a statement by his Media Office and signed

by Tunde Rahman.

The APC National Leader, who campaigned against the annulment of the June 12 election with Fasehun, said “Dr. Fredrick Fasehun was a renowned prodemocracy and good governance

activist, committed democrat, tested political player and Yoruba nationalist. I say all of that, because I knew him well.

We related very closely. “He was known for his Yoruba nationalistic fervours.

Like an Afenifere chieftain that he was, he fought stridently for the Yoruba cause. He canvassed true federalism and political restructuring. He fought as well for the cause of the Nigerian nation. “The good thing about Baba is there was never a time that he sat on the fence. Although trained as a medical doctor, he was very active politically. We were together in the forefront of the agitation for the de-annulment of June 12.

He founded the Oodua Peoples’ Congress to actualize June 12 but espoused non-violence. “He was an extremely humble and modest man. I will miss him dearly. The Southwest, particularly Lagos and Ondo states, will miss him. Nigeria will miss him also.

Afenifere, to which Fasehun was an active member until his death, also mourned the famous medical doctor.

Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, described the famous medical doctor as a dogged fighter, who played active role in the agitation against the annulment of the June 12 elections as well as the emancipation of the human race.

Afenifere noted that the death of Fasehun came at a crucial time in the nation’s life, adding that it “is a big blow to the struggle he devoted most of his life to. “The death of Dr. Fredrick Fasehun has come to Afenifere as a rude shock. The famous medical doctor and founder of OPC was a dogged fighter who played pivotal role particularly in the resistance to the annulment of June 12 elections and generally in all struggles for emancipation in his lifetime. “As we cannot question God for taking him when it pleased Him, we pray that his soul will find a comforting resting place.

We console with his immediate family, his fraternal family in OPC and the Yoruba Nation in general on the death of this great soul. It shall be well with all that he left behind,� Odumakin’s statement

S’WEST APC DISPUTES THREATEN BUHARI'S RE-ELECTION practices that characterised the primaries in the state.

In Ogun State, members of the party, who should work for the success of the party, have dumped the party.

Last Thursday, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade, the candidate preferred by Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, to succeed him, dumped the APC and defected to the Allied Peoples' Movement (APM) to actualise his gubernatorial ambition.

Akinlade, who is currently representing Yewa South/Ipokia Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, said he won the APC governorship primary in Ogun, but the leadership of the party said the primary was won by Dapo Abiodun.

The defection gale which hit the APC in Ogun State also

affected Mr. Mukaila Kazeem, who is currently the lawmaker representing Abeokuta North/ Odeda/Obafemi-Owode Federal Constituency who has now pitched tent with the APM. The duo said they were forced to leave APC, because of impunity and undemocratic norms.

At the state level, four members (majority leader, Adeyinka Mafe, Chief Whip, Idowu Olowofuja, Tunde Sanusi and Ganiyu Oyedeji) of the Ogun State House of Assembly also dumped the APC for APM. However, the state executive members of the party have distanced themselves from any attempt to join the defection train to the APM. In Lagos, the rivalry between two former governors of the

state, Bola Tinubu and Raji Fashola has made the Buhari Campaign incohesive.

In what appears to be an emerging battle for the control of Lagos State, the, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Minister for Works, Power and Housing, has set a separate campaign group to secure 4.5 million votes for Buhari in the state.

Although the campaign group christened PMB 2019 was set up to canvass support for Buhari’s reelection, competent sources disclosed that the group with vast support base statewide was designed to be a formidable political group after the 2019 election.

Besides, according to the sources, the group is a grand political platform with an ambitious post-2019 plan, though its main thrust is to

Continued on page 86

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

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SUNDAY COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

WINNING THE WAR AGAINST BOKO HARAM The security agencies tasked with the arduous job of containing the chaos and securing the nation must be well-provided for

F

ollowing the recent brazen attacks on our troops by Boko Haram and its allied violent partners, Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), President Muhammadu Buhari has taken some bold steps to address the lapses and shore up the morale of our military. At an emergency meeting with leaders of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) in N’jamena, the Chadian capital last week, the president also reassured Nigerians and the international partners that the brutal insurgents will be defeated. We hope he will match his promise with concrete actions.

But the current signal is encouraging. Earlier at the fourth annual Chief of Army Staff conference in Maiduguri where serving and retired commanders and other security agencies brainstormed, Buhari stood with the soldiers, offered condolences for the dead and said the Nigeria must right words to lift brace up with new their sagging spirit. strategies to tame “I want to assure this monster which you that government for almost a decade will procure modern fighting equipment has robbed our to end the madness of country of its peace, Boko Haram and other sent thousands of acts of our enemies.

I want to also assure innocent people you that government to their untimely is doing everything to graves and increase the welfare of rendered millions of Nigerian army,” said Buhari whose uncharothers homeless acteristic hands-on approach to a perplexing national security problem is noteworthy.

Indeed, the scale of the unfolding challenge posed by the brutal Islamic sect demanded nothing less from the leadership of the country. In the past few months, the insurgents who are reportedly aided with drones and mercenaries have been operating with a new found zeal and audacity – killing, maiming and seizing soldiers and attacking army formations at will, even in the frontline. The violence and savagery of the extremist groups and their fluidity make it increasing difficult for the country to evolve a coherent

Letters to the Editor

T

strategy to contain their activities while the incessant attacks are clear reminder that the measures put in place to defeat the militant group are not as effective as they ought to be.

T

S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS OLAWALE OLALEYE, TOBI SONIYI MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI , PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS ERIC OJEH, PATRICK EIMIUHI ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

he latest attack on the 157 Brigade in Metele which resulted in several casualties has also raised the spectre of the security threats posed by the nation’s porous and poorly-policed borders. Today, there is hardly any criminal act and violence in Nigeria that could not be remotely traced to the relative ease with which armed gangs enter and exit through many of our 149 borders. Without exception, all these borders are loosely patrolled, if at all, while illegal movement of arms flow almost freely on a daily basis. It is also a well-known fact that the Boko Haram sect, just like its Maitatsine cousin of the 1980s, finds ready adherents from within the territories of our neighbours. Most of these mercenaries, because they have no stake in our country, quite naturally seem to be more violent and ready to exert maximum collateral damage whenever they strike.

As we stated recently in this space, Nigeria must brace up with new strategies to tame this monster which for almost a decade has robbed our country of its peace, sent thousands of innocent people to their untimely graves and rendered millions of others homeless. For one, it is evidently clear, with all the billions of dollars that had been poured into the war, that our soldiers are still ill-equipped and ill-trained to conduct and rout an increasingly sophisticated and mobile criminals versed in irregular warfare tactics. Besides, many of our soldiers have spent longer time than necessary in the frontline and in need of a deserved rest. There is therefore the need to infuse fresh blood on a regular basis. The army command must therefore go all out to recruit and hire people from anywhere versed in counter-terrorism to help end the long-drawn and increasingly costly war. This, in addition to synergy among all the security agencies and good intelligence, will boost performance. Much more important, our military must be well-motivated. The field allowances of the fighting soldiers are not only poor, those who die are not accorded due dignity.

If we are to win the war against Boko Haram, those tasked with the arduous job of containing the chaos and securing the nation must be treated well. The president has pledged to procure the necessary equipment and indeed look after the welfare of the troops.

We will take him by his words.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

Digital Swicthover: ICPC Goofed

he furore generated by the allegations of ICPC against the Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and Pinnacle Communications is yet to settle.

It will be recalled that the NBC and its DG, at a recent press interview, vehemently denied the allegations levied against them by ICPC, through the Rasheedat Okoduwa press release. The NBC spokesperson, Mrs Maimuna Jimada even went to the extent of claiming ignorance of any investigation against its director general.

Meanwhile, the Competent Governance for Accountability and Civic Trust in a letter, dated 21

November 2018, to ICPC Chairman demanded the release of Information on the much-talked about issue under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The Chairman of ICPC, in his reply dated 26 November 2018 and signed by one Sharon Ogiri-Okpe, referred the FOI request on the bidding process for the licensing of Pinnacle back to NBC. The same letter however said that the ICPC investigation on the allegations of the release of N2.5 billion to Pinnacle Communications was "stalled" because of a pending court action by Pinnacle Communications against the ICPC and Zenith Bank.

Investigations by the Competent Governance

for Accountability and Civic Trust at the Federal High Court Abuja however showed that the position of ICPC in the letter may be far from the truth.

Documents filed in Suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/779/2018 by Pinnacle Communications against ICPC, Zenith Bank and the Federal Attorney General showed that Pinnacle is challenging the defendants over the use of a non-existent magistrate court order procured by ICPC to direct Zenith Bank to restrict Pinnacle from operating its bank account since June 2018.

In the court papers filed, Pinnacle said it was not opposed to ICPC discharging its duty by carrying on any investigation but that

the magistrate court order relied on by ICPC in directing Zenith Bank to place a no-debit restriction on Pinnacle bank account is non-existent. Pinnacle also claims that the magistrate court that issued the purported order had no jurisdiction to issue such order.

It will be recalled that Justice Walter Onnoghen, the Chief Justice of Nigeria only recently chastised magistrate courts following series of complaints for issuing reckless orders to Police. The top jurist is quoted as saying that "In addition, reckless remand orders must not be issued by your courts where it appears that the police lack evidence to prosecute a criminal matter or your courts do not possess the requisite jurisdiction to entertain such matter."

How ICPC will reconcile

issuing a press release on 15 November 2018 saying its investigations showed an alleged fraud by NBC and Pinnacle and on 26 November 2018 the same ICPC saying that its investigation into the same matter was "stalled" because of a court action remains to be seen.

The question being asked is what formed the basis of the press release of 15 November 2018 by the spokesperson of ICPC when there was either no investigation or incomplete investigation as the Chairman ICPC's letter of 26 November 2018 clearly alleges?

Is ICPC playing the ostrich here?

––Amb. Omoba Micheal, Comrade. Godwin Erheriene Oghenero and Comrade Odeh Peter, Competent Governance for Accountability & Civil Trust

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

NEWS

Acting News Editor Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com, 08081986590

CUPP to Unveil Atiku as Coalition Candidate This Week Condemns police involvement in A’Ibom’ crisis

Gboyega Akinsanmi A coalition of 39 political parties under the aegis of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) will this week adopt former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the coalition candidate for the presidential election scheduled

to hold February 16, 2019, THISDAY can report.

A CUPP source anonymously disclosed the plans to THISDAY yesterday because he was not authorised to speak formally on the decision of the coalition set up to foil the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The CUPP is an alliance of 39 political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Labour Party (LP), among others.

Established with the aim of wrestling power from the ruling All Progressives Congress

in 2019, members of the CUPP had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to field and support a joint presidential candidate to confront the ruling party in the 2019 presidential election.

To actualise its core objective, the CUPP chieftain confided in THISDAY that the coalition

HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY

The Celebrant , Mrs. Bosede Adeboye cutting birthday cake with her husband , Dr. Titus Adeboye at her 70th birthday celebration in Abuja …yesterday GODWIN OMOIGUI

“is going to adopt Atiku as its presidential candidate next week,” saying it was the way to go considering the dictatorial posture of the ruling party and the spate of killing across the federation.

According to the source, it will enhance Atiku’s candidacy.

When adopted, Atiku will no longer be the PDP candidate.

We will come out clear next week with Atiku as our coalition candidate for the presidential election.

He disclosed that members of the coalition “held a meeting on Wednesday on the adoption of the coalition presidential candidate. There will be another meeting on Friday. Next week, we should come up with a common presidential candidate to wrestle power from the APC.” Another CUPP scribe, Chief Olasupo Shonibare noted that the coalition in strong terms condemned the alleged police involvement in the crisis rocking the Akwa IbomStateHouseofAssembly.

Heexplainedthattheopposition parties would resist any attempt to unconstitutionally remove Governor Udom Emmanuel, saying the CUPP had at its recent meetings looked at the role of the Nigeria Police in the political crisis rocking the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly with grave concern and apprehension.

He observed that the CUPP perceived the case of Akwa Ibom as a demonstration of the imperative for devolutionofpowerandtheneedto unbundle the Police from political, executive and central control for operationalmatters.

He explained that the Awka Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Kimo “is taking instructions from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Ibrahim Idris. The IGP is unashamedly an APC enforcer. They conspired to attempt to use minority votes of five to unseat a serving governor just because he belongs to an opposition party.”

Shonibare noted that the ruling APC had used the Police in recent governorship elections in Ekiti State and more recently in Osun State. He also stated that international observers made the observation that the elections were compromised.

He noted that the opposition groups “will resist any attempt to unconstitutionally remove the Akwa Ibom Governor as this is a prelude to dictatorship which although we are not resident in Akwa Ibom, we can anticipate that if this is not resisted now, it will be our turn next time.”

“It is not the sitting governor who is using his influence in Akwa Ibom. It is the federal government targeting Akwa Ibom as a soft South-south state that they can impose a minority rule after it failed to convince Governor Udom Emmanuel to decamp from PDP to APC. “Senator Godswill Akpabio who is now in their APC is being used against the Governor to destabilise the state and entrench the APC rule. Having failed to buy over the Akwa Ibom State Assembly, they then embarked upon a fallback of using only five legislators to impeach the governor. The Police were willing tools.”

Boko Haram Attacks Military Base in Yobe Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja About two week after Boko Haram insurgents killed scores of military officers in Borno State, terrorists resumed attacks on a military base in Buni Gari, Yobe State yesterday evening.

However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai, who visited special forces deployed in the north-east said they had all it takes to flush out the

insurgents”.

It was gathered that heavily armed members of the sect attacked a military base and some residential houses in Buni Gari town, in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State.

The army was said to have rallied a counter attack that forced the insurgents to beat a retreat, according to a military source within the theatre of war.

Meanwhile, the Chief of

Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General TY Buratai has told troops of the Nigerian Army deployed in the north east that they have what it takes to flush out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists wherever they are hibernating.

The COAS gave the charge yesterday while addressing Armed Forces Special Forces Battalion at their base in Borno State.

He added that, they were

deployed in the North East to fill in observed gaps and make a difference in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.

Addressing them further he stated that they have all it takes to do the job and they should work together as a team, stressing that, the Nigerian Armed Forces have done a great job in the North East in terms of degrading the Boko Haram terrorists.

The attained success must be consolidated as they are adequately equipped, trained and with superior tactics than the terrorists. He implored them to dominate everywhere in the theatre and deny the terrorists freedom of action and movement. Later, the COAS had durbar alone with the troops in which they bared their minds where he provided answers.

The army chief also paid

similar visit to Army Headquarters Strike Group where he had one-on-one interaction with them. Later in the evening he had dinner with the troops.

The visit to the troops by the army chief is coming at the end of the Chief of Army Staff’s annual conference 2018 which took place in Maiduguri from November 28-30, a statement issued last night by army headquarters said.

Buhari Arrives Poland, Encomiums as Tony ‘Porous Border Setback for Congratulates Super Falcons Anenih is Laid to Rest Immigration Service’ Shola Oyeyipo in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has landed in Krakow, Poland, to attend the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP24) under the United Nation (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), billed to hold between December 2 and 4.

Buhari had congratulated the Super Falcons of Nigeria following their victory against the Banyana Banyana of South Africa Saturday in the final match of the 11th Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON), Ghana 2018, According to a statement

by his Special Adviser on the Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the president landed at the military Base Balice, International Airport, Krakow 17: 44Plpm local time as temperatures dropped to -3 degrees centigrade bringing the first snow.

The COP24 Summit is holding at the International Conference Centre (MCK), Katowice, an industrial hub, about 100 kilometers from Krakow.

Buhari is billed to hold a town hall meeting in Krakow on Sunday evening, where he will be opportuned to interact with Nigerians living in Poland.

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The remains of former Minister of Works, Chief Anthony Anenih was laid to rest yesterday at his residence in Arue-Uromi after a funeral mass service at the St. Anthony Catholic Cathedral, Uromi.

Eminent Nigerians including Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; his Delta State counterpart, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, his immediate predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson attended the service to pay the late political leader last respect.

Also, National Chairman

of All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole; President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, among others, were in attendance.

Speaking at the funeral service yesterday, the Catholic Bishop of Uromi Dioceses, Bishop Donatus Ogun said the life of a man is short and defined by God, adding that the day man will return to his creator is uncertain.

The cleric, therefore, urged Nigerians “to make out time everyday to get close to God. Let us work hard to make the eyes of God see us as His own.”

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Mr. Mohammed Babandede at the weekend lamented that porous borders remained the major challenge facing immigration officers in the country’s 140 borders.

Babandede made the remarks while taking delivery of two class room blocks and two boreholes, which Bristow Helicopters donated for the Immigration Training School.

According to him, no country in the world that is not facing border challenges. It is a Herculean task controlling the 140 borders

across the federation He said the numerous porous borders constituted major setback for the immigration officers to control the entire borders across the federation.

He said the recent establishment of Immigration Technology Building by President Muhammadu Buhari was to serve as a data and Command center for Nigeria.

With the new structure, he said the training centre “is an everlasting legacy that will enhance learning and capacity building. The entire concept of border security has been revolutionised. We will be able to patrol based on technology.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

OPINION The Fulani Northern–Political Complex Nnamdi Ebo argues that the Hausa/Fulani are masters in the game of politics

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he Military–Industrial Complex" (MIC) gained traction after its use in a farewell address delivered in a television broadcast on January 17, 1961 by the 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower. Eisenhower alluded to the term as a sinister alliance between the US military and the defence industry that supplies it, with the US Congress included later, and seen together as a vested interest which influences public policy.

Nigeria does not have a defence industry but essentially, this is a relationship termed an iron triangle and there is a relative context of MIC in Nigeria. A hydra-headed political machine has emerged in the political landscape – unnoticed! An iron triangle finally berthed in post-colonial Nigeria with expansionist motive and this political machine debuted from 1998–2018 as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and subsequently completed its concomitance from 2013–2018 as the All Progressives Congress (APC) – the siamese twins.

The Fulani Northern–Political Complex is the new MIC in Nigeria. In the firestorm of controversy ignited by the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the PDP presidential candidate, it looked like politics as usual and a happenstance but something just didn't add up. A political analysis reveals that President Muhammadu Buhari has four presidential runs in the years 2003, 2007, 2011, 2019 and Atiku has four presidential runs in the years 1992, 2007, 2011, 2019 and if Atiku wins in 2019 he will equal Buhari.

Further analysis shows that Buhari and Atiku are the only real contenders for Aso Rock and the siamese twins are now fathered by the Fulani. Let us go back in time. Sometime in colonial Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe said to Sir Ahmadu Bello: "Let us forget our differences…" and Ahmadu Bello replied: "No, let us understand our differences. I am a Muslim and a Northerner. You are a Christian, an Easterner. By understanding our differences, we can build unity in our country." Chief Obafemi Awolowo wrote that: "…Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no ‘Nigerians’ in the same sense as there are ‘English’, ‘Welsh’ or ‘French’…."

A cacophony of deafening alarm bells rang as many Nigerians interpreted the statements of the three founding fathers along ethnic leanings. Devoid of any ethnic leaning, I dare

say the Fulani man was more realistic and proffered a workable solution while the Igbo man and Yoruba man were ambivalent. In the US, there are identifications of ethnicity like White American, European American, Middle Eastern American, African American, Japanese American, Hispanic and Latino Americans, etc.

The US Census Bureau also classifies Americans in ethnic groupings distinct from others. In 1987, the US Supreme Court unanimously held that "race" is not limited to census designations on the "race question" but extends to all ethnicities, and thus can include Jewish and Arab as well as Polish or Italian or Irish Americans. The US has a racially and ethnically diverse population but it took a White American experiment for Barack Obama, an African American, to become a US President.

The facts reveal that even in the richest, most stable and most powerful democracy in the world, they do not forget their differences. Americansunderstand and know their differences. Any Nigerian who says he is a Nigerian without first being a Fulani, Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, Efik, Ijaw, Tiv,Bachama, Igala, etc., is engaged in tomfoolery. Nigeria has a tribal and ethnically diverse population like America. The only ethnic group which understands this reality is the Fulani or the Hausa/Fulani as presently constituted, and they have mastered the use of ethnic technicalities by default in geopolitics to dominate Nigeria.

The emergence of two Fulani men as the presidential candidates each of the two major political parties, APC and PDP, is no coincidence or happenstance. The convention of zoning for elections and

Nigeria has a tribal and ethnically diverse population like America. The only ethnic group which understands this reality is the Fulani or the Hausa/ Fulani as presently constituted, and they have mastered the use of ethnic technicalities by default in geopolitics to dominate Nigeria

political offices is not at play here but a carefully engineered mechanics in real-politick by the Fulani. The quest to "rule Nigeria forever" by the Fulani which predates post-colonial Nigeria has finally metamorphosed and Nigeria is heading up to a "united Nigeria" underFulani hegemony from 2019.

It befuddles the mind to read and hear Igbos gloat over the choice of Atiku against Buhari as if they have any other choice.

Igbo as the beautiful bride of Nigerian politics was divorced by the Hausa/Fulani after the demise of Zik. Fulani is now living with a concubine (Yoruba). Yorubas will always align with the Fulani and both Peter Obi (Igbo) and Yemi Osinbajo/Bola Tinubu (Yoruba) are waiting for a future Fulani experiment to ascend Aso Rock.

The middle belt call themselves northerners and Kwara which is Yoruba joined the north, so the south is left with the southeast and south south. It took a Hausa/Fulani experiment for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to ascend Aso Rock. The experiment did not threaten the Fulani power base, in the same way it did not threaten the White American power base in America. White Americans and Fulani will always take back their political power after every experimental hypothesis.

The simple logic here is that no ethnic/tribal group can hope to rule Nigeria without a Fulani experiment. Those who agonise over the "born to rule" dominance of the Hausa-Fulani should see the predominance of northern military officers without one single Igbo officer within the intelligence/military/ security infrastructure. Whoever controls the military controls political power.

I do not agree with those who say the Hausa/Fulani are the problem. On the contrary, the Igbos and Yorubas are the problem for not being adept at political gamesmanship which the Fulani have mastered, albeit from the British.

This iron triangle is: one, Fulani; two, Northern (interest); three, political (power) – a three-pronged alliance that will influence public policy beyond 2019. The Fulani have cleverly, intelligently and smartly cultivated their decades-old planned hegemony culminating in The Fulani Northern–Political Complex.

Vote any way for president in 2019 and a Fulani man will be the President of Nigeria. The masters of the game have won, yet again!

––Ebo is a political scientist and lawyer.

Political Defections And Ideology The Nigerian ideology is centred on the economy, argues Ayodele Okunfolami

T

he siege on the Akwa Ibom State of House Assembly has ended. Members of the Nigerian Police Force had barricaded the assembly complex last week following a disruption of plenary a couple of days earlier because the Speaker of the House had declared the seats of five defecting assemblymen vacant. While the dust is settling in Uyo, the unpleasant aftermath of the governing All Progressives Congress party primaries still stirs kerfuffle between those whose political interests were undermined by the party leadership. There are rumours and counter rumours about the Ogun and Imo States APC chapters’ next move.

If we paid attention, before the political parties went for their primaries to pick their candidates for various elective positions ahead of the elections next year, there was a surge of defections across the aisles that distorted the political permutations. These movements have become characteristic of Nigerian democracy, especially during election seasons.

Giving ourselves a fair pass, defections still happen everywhere in the world, even in admired democracies (although sparingly). Nevertheless, it is usually an irritating deluge in Nigeria causing a large fraction of the electorate asking for stiffer measures to stop the tide. What irks the more is that these moves are in revolving doors to and fro the same political parties.

Putting a ban on decamping would be an infringement on the individual’s lawful right of free association. That would be akin to tying one permanently to a job, contract, religion or group. Others have opined that defectors should lose their elective positions but the constitutional lacunas, political conveniences and indifferent constituencies have not made this probable. It is times like this that people question the ideological leanings, if any, of our politics.

Considering our level of development, it is really inequitable to compare our political system with those galaxies ahead of us. In terms of age, these civilizations are centuries in front of us. This is not an excuse for us to begin as crudely or commit the same false starts they did. However, the course of life entails that allowance be granted every living organism to make its own mistakes and missteps before maturity is attained. So we ought to give ourselves some slack bearing in mind where we are coming from.

Unlike the republics we usually reference, we are coming not only from long years of dictatorship but also of unaccountable governance that wrecked every fibre of our being which made us question our personal and collective ideals.

Consequently, we never had ideologies outside the spheres of our religion and region, if we did at all. The return of multi-party democracy almost 20 years ago set us on the path for ideology-based politics. But this route has faced a lot of detours in the form of long years of single party rule, defections, indistinct manifestoes and an ill-informed electorate.

To begin, does the average Nigerian have an ideology?

This is a society where you see graduates of the natural sciences disowning their narratives by “defecting” to the arts or other finance-biased discipline to get on in life. Or people “defecting” to tellingly divergent trades or businesses without a logical or explainable conclusion to the previous.

Our collective development is gradually taking us to the level where particular sub -demographies are known to vote along particular doctrinal leanings for generations as witnessed in advanced democracies. All other things being equal, it is easy to predict which political party a baby, in say California or Texas, would vote for when it attains voting age or how a white or blue collared worker would vote or how immigrants or first time voters would shape the future by their ballots. Nigeria is slowly shedding off her ethno-religious paradigm to politics and governance.

However, the emergence of far-right nationalist movements in the West seems to be reversing the sunset by playing racial and xenophobic politics thus taking ideology as we understand it to the back burner.

Corporate institutions like the judiciary and most especially the mind moulding media, in those climes have grown and have become so audacious to align themselves with political slants. CNN and The New York Times for instance usually stand by the liberal left winged Democratic Party as The Guardian and Daily Mirror do likewise with the Labour Party in the UK while Fox News and The Sun affiliate themselves with the right winged Republican Party of America and the Conservative Party of the UK. This is besides the numerous radio shows with radical

hosts that propagate their partisan philosophies. Neither the Nigerian media nor its consumers have defined biases and so expecting clear cut ideologies from our politicians is too much to ask.

As history has shown us, democracy has a way of springing up sticky oligopolies so that the different choices before us are often the same, making decisions mainly sentimental. That is what affects the over-flogged ideology issue. Yes, they are packaged differently but can one really state the dissimilarities between the contending parties as the deficiency of one is being supplemented by the other and vice versa? Furthermore, these ideologies don’t only overlap, they also evolve over time so that a political party may now be against what it stood for previously.

Take Prime Minister Theresa May for example, who despite having backed a vote for Britain to remain in the European common market before the referendum, is today the Brexit campaigner –in-chief. Or Donald Trump, the President of the United States whose moral standing is at best bankrupt, choosing to uphold evangelical Americans’ values. Even Saudi women can now drive.

The point here is that people change. That is why they are politicians, not priests. It is politics not presbytery and so expecting Nigerian politicians from a less cultured society not to flip flop is illusionary.

Nevertheless, if we take a deeper dive into our democratic space, the bipolarity of the polity since 2015 has given the electorate the opportunity to see the differences in the options placed before them. While one is more free market driven, the other tends to favour state control of resources. Whereas one is on the supply side of the curve, the other is of aggregate demand. One is Smithian, the other Keynesian. So the Nigerian ideology is all about the economy.

That is the Nigerian ideology. It is neither left nor right, liberal nor conservative, it is the economy. The legislator is cross carpeting to better his individual economy. The voter is voting to better his economy. Whether 2019 is about fighting corruption or selling public assets, it is all about the economy.

––Okunfolami wrote from Lagos

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LETTERS

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Buhari And The Kaduna Baggage

he term blunder has been prominently described as “a gross mistake made, especially through carelessness, confusion or without guidance.”

Long before the 24-hour news cycle came along, kings, presidents, and emperors committed all sorts of blunders which they later regretted.

One of recent history major missteps and biggest political blunders was the one committed by William Seward, a former New York governor who was the Republican Party’s frontrunner for the nomination leading up to the 1860 presidential election.

So confident was Seward in his selection, that for several months prior to the party’s 1860 convention, he travelled abroad, making stops throughout Europe and Asia. While in Beirut, he even purchased a few Arabian horses.

After returning to America, Seward found that a lawyer from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln had slipped in and gained the party’s support.

Seward’s ill-timed trip was the main reason he lost.

And most recently, British Prime Minister Theresa May lost her gamble and working majority at Westminster after calling a snap election that delivered a hung Parliament.

Her decision to go to the polls three years early was

Buhari

tagged one of the biggest missteps in recent political history, with May’s critics accusing her of putting partisan political greed ahead of the good of the country.

In Nigeria, a couple of months away to the next round of fresh elections, incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari appears set to commit another ridiculous political blunder.

Apparently confident in his

legendary popularity with the northern masses, Buhari, just like America’s Seaward, does not appear to realise nor ready to admit that he is being led far away from the massive goodwill he enjoyed some three years ago.

By appearing not to notice the marked difference in pattern, circumstances, forces and events that shaped the 2015 election and those that would most certainly determine the

outcome of the 2019 exercise, Buhari is likely to carry the unnecessary baggage accrued to some northern governors with him to the ring.

Kaduna State which gave Buhari and the APC about 1.5 million votes in 2019 is today fast slipping out of the control of the state governor, Nasir el-Rufai and the broken party hierarchy.

At stake here is not only the continued suppression and oppression of critical political players in the state through manipulating what remains of the state’s party leadership, it is also about the implications of another four years under an El-Rufai government or even APC generally.

Understanding these implications by Buhari requires understanding how the once loved APC reached this stage in Kaduna. El-Rufai came with the promise of security, ending poverty, protecting the vulnerable, and improving the economy. But the gap between El-Rufai’s rhetoric and reality keeps growing wider throughout the first three years of his first term, which may as well be his last with the concomitant likelihood of dragging the president down with him.

As the policies adopted in governing the state by El-Rufai most often contradict the APC and Buhari’s ideals, the trend also indicates that it has led to further deterioration of his electoral value as a

2019 Presidency: Some Salient Issues

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he die is cast between the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and the oppositions for the control of power particularly the central government as this tenure wraps up.

However, the titanic battle will likely be between APC and the major opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on account of its widespread, viable and visible structures across the nation as a former ruling party. As usual, masses are inundated with campaign promises. Whilst the APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari presented a ‘Next Level’ package to the people, his PDP counterpart, former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar offered ‘Making Nigeria work again’ bundle.

The third major contender in terms of structures is the Social Democratic Party (SDP) with Donald Duke as its candidate. Incidentally, there are no visible actions from the quarters at the moment. Duke stands between the older and younger generation and obviously, would have been the ideal candidate by his experience, age and alluring look, had the economy been systematically, productively set in motion and running effectively before now.

Unfortunately, the job and situation of the country exceptionally requires political will for solid foundation; indispensable for significant

attainments. The will power to undertake critical tasks irrespective of whose ox is gored is a sine qua non to luxuriant growth of the economy.

Hence, at this critical stage, the nation requires more of value than glamour.

As for the two giant forces, their scorecards are straightforward. A holistic examination showed that from 2010 to 2014, average price of crude oil was $99.29/ barrel as against $53.24/ barrel it sold from 2015 when the present administration came to power. In fact, at a point during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, it climaxed to a whopping $145/ barrel. During Buhari’s first year in office, it plummeted to as low as $28/barrel.

Meanwhile, the OPEC benchmark was $45/barrel. It implies that any transaction above the benchmark is a marginal profit while below; a deficit. And where a nation solely depended on the commodity as Nigeria did, invariably, an economic recession. In other words, crude oil boomed during PDP administrations unlike in the present APC regime, and would have substantially, realistically advanced the nation if judiciously managed.

Factually, during the period under examination, despite the fact that crude-oil brought huge wealth to the treasury, corruption impeded its impact. Whilst Goodluck

Jonathan’s government secured $29.6bn in the nation’s Foreign Reserve, Buhari’s government despite global crash in crude-oil price safeguarded $42.3bn. On Sovereign Wealth Fund, PDP government deposited only $1bn while APC government amidst economic recession recorded $1.5bn. Logically, Buhari achieved more even with less oil revenues.

Inevitably, the nation witnessed colossal figures of abandoned projects despite oil boom under PDP. Then, party chieftains with unrelated skills would arbitrarily bid and hijack contracts but ended up reselling to third-party contractors after initial payment. The moment the new contractors received their rations from upcoming budgets, they follow suit, abandon it and abscond under the ‘national-cake’ syndrome.

Still, the projects will keep reflecting in ‘padded-andunpadded’ budgets for many years.

Beyond the crude-oil revenue’s sustainability, the present administration has in the three-and-half years in power proved a remarkable point: that Nigeria can become a great nation even without oil revenue but prudent management of the internally-generated revenues.

Through the Treasury Single Account determinedly implemented by Buhari’s administration, government

agencies now resourcefully account for revenues. JAMB for example, progressively made astounding returns since this administration came on board.

It remitted N7.8bn recently.

In 2017, NIMASA remitted N21.805bn. Nigerian Customs posted N1trillion. Find out their remittances before 2015. The results may be awful.

On anti-corruption war, the EFCC recently recovered roughly N500bn excluding others in foreign currencies against maximum of N2bn ever recovered during preceding governments. Strategically, immediately after inauguration of Buhari’s cabinet, federal government moved into action, forwarded audit reports of 33 government agencies to EFCC over non-remittance of revenues generated between 2010 and 2015.

In fact, Buhari’s first action point was the audit of all MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies) before formally appointing his ministers. Kemi Adeosun as the arrowhead excruciatingly paid her price for spearheading the move as Finance Minister. To pursue it to logical conclusions, federal government hired KPMG to carry out forensic audits of revenue remittances to the Federation Account. By these blueprints, civil servants wages and pensioners were consistently paid as at when due without resorting to loans.

––Carl Umegboro, Lagos.

consequence.

El-Rufai’s last three years have witnessed a drastic erosion of Kaduna State institutions – traditional, religious, and socio-political dynamics have been scandalised by his form of governance which stresses the absence of internal democracy in the APC, absence of real representative government, broadening legislation that undermines rule of law, and increasing influence of sycophants.

Everywhere in the state, concerns are mounting about the restriction of freedom of association, press, and expression, the use of state power with impunity as depicted in the mass sack of workers and bastardisation of the revered traditional institution.

The confinement of the ruling elite to a narrow circle of friends and relatives is another clear sign of the administration’s bad governance, that is damaging El-Rufai’s politics itself and the state’s future stability which could reflect negatively on Buhari in 2019.

This insular approach has

already deepened the fragility of the APC in Kaduna with the probable consequence of raising the electoral stakes several notches beyond the reach of El-Rufai and Buhari next year.

Buhari must therefore wake up to the reality that unless he forgets El-Rufai’s deceptive antics and move personally to mend the broken fences with critical political players who wield considerable influence on the public, he risks losing the massive support he got in the state.

Buhari must dig in hard by moving fast to clip El-Rufai’s wings in order to pacify the mounting anger among the citizens particularly the aggrieved workers, the clerics and ulama, traditional rulers and elders of the state.

By way of suggestion, he can as well assign the responsibility of reaching out to the classes of aggrieved persons to a responsible Kaduna opinion leader who is genuinely respected across board.

Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, Abuja

In Praise of Hope Uzodinma

A

ccording to the America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, “nothing can stop a man with the right mental attitude and nothing can also save a man with the wrong mental attitude”.

This therefore presupposes that a man’s character sooner or later affects his destiny, such that he is either surrounded by anointing or he is full of annoying things.

The state of things in Imo leaves a sour taste in the mouths of most Imolites and indeed other Nigerians and foreigners. The situation does not warrant any argument as argument hardly improves the validity of a true situation. It only elongates how long it takes to realize the said situation.

Research has shown that there are broadly two kinds of leaders, those who, like Josef Stalin, the infamous Soviet Union dictator, believe that it is better to disempower and even short-change the people and then throw crumbs at them so as to see the oppressor as their “rescuer”, or those like the great Yoruba sage, Obafemi Awolowo, who empower their people with real qualitative education, solid infrastructure and a motivated work force.

It is on verifiable record, that since 1983 when the late Sam Mbakwe was herd-hunted into abrupt political retirement, no thanks to the inglorious military coup, Imo State has not been very lucky with democratic governance. The state had witnessed about four civilian chief executives, from Evans Enwerem whose tenure was short-lived due to yet another military interregnum, to Achike Udenwa who tried to do a bit of infrastructure but without a clear cut development plan. Then came

the street-smart Ikedi Ohakim whose innovative approach to development was promptly terminated by his brash display of youthful exuberance that ended up making him the most misunderstood governor in Imo history. Then came the maverick Rochas, (what’s the meaning of that name by that way?) who seemed to possess plenty of ideas but lacked the tact, finesse, decorum, and depth of character to allow those ideas to flourish and transmute into better lives for the good people of Imo. Good governance is indeed, not rocket science. It is achievable even in Nigeria, contrary to the widespread feeling of despair in many quarters that God may not have originally created the black man to be free from social ills like nepotism, self-sabotage and mind boggling graft.

The genuine leader does not need to have all the right answers nor does he need to solve all the problems he met on ground. The leader does not need a second tenure to make a good first impression.

The first cut is indeed the deepest. All a genuine leader needs is the humility to accept that nobody knows it all; the wisdom to assemble an army of cerebral advisers and experienced commissioners, as well as the courage to allow his own “good” ideas to give way to the better ideas of those he surrounds himself with. The whole essence of governance is to identify the bottlenecks in the development pipeline and resolve those bottlenecks so that growth can occur seamlessly.

– Toni Nnawugo, Awomamma, Imo State (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

Kashamu

Ahmed

Ogah

Agbaje

The Road to 2019: Flashpoints to Watch (XII) With the governorship campaigns officially kicking off at the weekend and the presidential candidates now taking their campaigns to the field, the battle for 2019 has been further fired up, writes Olawale Olaleye

L

ast week witnessed elevated interest in the coming elections as individuals and groups had started to speak out on the need to have, not just a credible, free and fair election, but one that is devoid of violence. What made this particularly instructive is the fact that the elections have continued to generate deserving international interest.

But not many were shocked when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the primaries conducted by the various political parties ahead of the 2019 elections, were the most rancorous in the history of Nigeria. It just might be another note for file as everyone journeys towards next year.

Similarly, the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had agreed in principle to pursue and sustain a common political engagement that would produce free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria and other West African countries.

The two regional blocks however identified the current security situation in Nigeria as a threat to the success of the 2019 elections if not nipped in the bud, adding that the challenging general security environment called for increased effort in dealing with the threats.

On a different scale, national chairmen of 91 political parties on the platform of Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) resolved recently to pull out of the 2019 general election, if the amendment to the Electoral Act was not signed by President Buhari. The issue raised is germane, their threat is insipid.

But the Civil Society Joint Action Committee, a coalition of civil society organisations, has warned against likely election and post elections violence in about 20 states.

The Senior Team Manager for the Africa Programme of the Open Society Justice Initiative, Chidi Odinkalu, while briefing journalists in Abuja, said the rise in violent killings across Nigeria in 2018 is a cause for worry as the country is yet to record a single week in which multiple violent killings were not reported.

While alerting all stakeholders in Nigeria to its fears, it listed the states to include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Plateau, Bayelsa, Borno, Zamfara, Kaduna, Cross River, Bauchi, Oyo, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nassarawa, Imo, Osun, Ondo and Kano.

But the National Peace Committee headed by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) has listed conditions for peaceful elections in 2019 and urged political parties to adhere to issue-based campaigns. The committee and the political parties therefore agreed to adopt the 2015

code of conduct model to ensure peaceful and credible conduct of the general election.

Thus, to consolidate the peace efforts, the committee said political parties would meet on December 11 to formally sign a peace agreement for the conduct of the elections.

However, disturbed by the possibilities of the unintended, National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, recently called on the Chairman of INEC, Yakubu, to resign over his alleged inability to conduct free, fair and credible election. He also called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, to resign, because police officers were being used to undermine the democratic process. He spoke during the 83rd PDP National Executive Committee meeting in Abuja.

Generally, events are fast building up and with ban lifted across the board on political campaigns, it is expected that the polity would heat up in the coming weeks and campaigns fired up. Having said that, how are the campaigns coming up across the states?

OGUN The Changing Equation

With the window for substitution effectively closed, Ogun State politics has assumed its true picture in almost all the parties, at least, the major ones. With the APC parading Dapo Abiodun, PDP fielding Senator Buruji Kashamu, APM throwing in Adekunle Akinlade and ADC excited about Gboyega Isiaka as its candidate, the floor is open for all to prove their mettle.

In the APC, for instance, whilst Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s choice candidate, Adekunle has left the party for APM, the governor stayed back in APC, holding down his structure. That would present some tricky game, which places the APC at risk particularly at the governorship run.

Clearly, the ruling party is approaching the election as a divided house and how much of discomfort that would bring its way is yet to be seen. In the same line of thought, it is also yet to be seen how such a situation would pay off for Akinlade in his APM. The PDP is not having a good time either.

The national leadership of the party is not happy with the choice that INEC was forced to accept and it is still in court on that account. But can Kashamu pull this off, ultimately? That would be seen in due time. Besides, the influence of the other candidate preferred by the PDP leadership in the state, Ladi Adebutu cannot be undermined, given the weight of his father. Will he play the spoiler or run along? Time will tell.

However, it might as well be that Isiaka is waiting on the wings to reap from all the contradictions in virtually all the parties. Indeed, many believe that apart from being financially handicapped, he could be the underdog to reap from all that is happening in all the parties.

KWARA Hitting the Reset Button

The outcome of a federal bye-election in Kwara State some two weeks ago might have forced the ruling party in the state, the PDP to return to the drawing board and review its current standing. Although a very tight race, which exposed the use of might by the federal government, with key state institutions believed to have been compromised at the time, the PDP claimed it saw the result coming and was not disturbed by it.

Thus, with the latest development which saw the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed relinquishing his senate ticket as part of moves to accommodate and appease other aggrieved tendencies in the state, the PDP is believed to have embraced a very smart option, which many believe could tweak the equation.

It does not appear like the state would be a battleground as many are insinuating especially, after the bye-election, the signs are still clear that the PDP and the Saraki family still hold the ace in Kwara. However, the election won’t be a walkover.

ABIA A Fresh Start

Next year’s election in Abia State is not going to be easy especially for the APC. With a recent court judgment, which reportedly disqualified Uche Ogah as the party’s candidate, moving on from this phase appears a tough option for the party.

This is particularly so in a state known to be home to the opposition, especially an opposition that seems to be enjoying an enviable degree of popularity – the type based on performance and leadership disposition.

As it is, the APC might have to rejig a whole lot of things in readiness for the battle that stares it in the face. But its chances might have been greatly affected, at least, following the court ruling.

IMO An Option Foretold

It was not surprising to many that the choice candidate of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Uche Nwosu, who incidentally is his son-in-law, has eventually left the APC for another party, DPP. Suffice it to say that he fought a good fight whilst in the APC but the forces against him were more than those angling for him.

However, the electoral battle in Imo is not going to be an easy one. Okorocha would fight really hard to stay relevant and would give his all for this election. Although he, like

the Ogun scenario, did not go with his son-inlaw, he certainly would be with him all through in this adventure. The Imo electoral battle is definitely going to be a survival of the fittest, the consequence of which none of the actors is oblivious of.

LAGOS Shape of Things to Come It has come to the open that the reason candidate of the PDP, Jimi Agbaje has been somewhat quiet was because he did not want to, like his APC counterpart, violate any electoral law, a decision many observers have now come to appreciate lately.

In fact, given the force with which Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the APC had been going about, Agbaje had been written off by many people as too unserious for a state like Lagos. But he however had his reason which was considered legit and sensible.

But the level that some alleged thugs of the APC were beginning to take things in Lagos is unlike Lagos’ cosmopolitan approach to election. There were allegations that most of Agbaje’s campaign posters on the third mainland bridge and other places were destroyed a night or two ago. That shows gross intolerance and political commentators are worried that it could signal a descent to violent campaigns if not tamed.

It is therefore imperative that stakeholders in the state come together to stem the tide, because Lagos is not violence-friendly and any attempt to take it through that route would be counterproductive.

ZAMFARA It’s Still Fight to the Finish For over three weeks now, the political actors in Zamfara State especially those of the APC stock had been unusually quiet as the aftermath of the controversial primaries has been devastating. But a few days ago, a video clip of the state governor, Abdul-Aziz Yari went viral, where he threatened the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole and his panel not to get any close to the state.

The video is of course old, because it happened almost immediately after the botched primary, observers were however of the view that it was released at the weekend, knowing that campaigns for the governorship election would start and as an instructive message to the chairman, going forward.

Talk about violence and all the unimaginable, Zamfara will play a lead role, because it is being pushed to that point. It remains one of the states to provide actionpacked activities for the 2019 elections.

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DECEMBER 2, 2018 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

The Road to 2019: Flashpoints to Watch (XII) OSUN Dawn of a Different, New Era

ENUGU Taking the Battle to God

One governor, who has enjoyed uncommon support across the length and breadth of his state, is the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. He is of the PDP and has proven, time and time again that he is popular and on the ground especially, given the amount of support and endorsements he has so far received in his re-election journey.

This time, however, he has taken his re-election battle spiritual. Thus, ahead of the commencement of campaigns for the governorship and House of Assembly elections in the country, the PDP Campaign Organisation in the state has called for one week of prayers and fasting, “for peaceful, transparent and violence-free elections in 2019…”

Director-General of the campaign, Dr. Charles Egumgbe, in company with the Secretary of the Campaign Organisation, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, said the decision was “in keeping with our tradition of entrusting the affairs of the state to the hands of God”.

To think that the state is generally considered safe for the PDP means not much surprises could be pulled off here. The APC won’t give in easily though.

There was a change of guard in Osun State last week as Governor Gboyega Oyetola was sworn in and effectively resting the days of Rauf Aregbesola. There is no doubting the fact that Rauf came in with a lot of colour and controversy. He enjoyed being called an unusual man in the Government House, because of his style. But he finally left the state very poor and with a mesmerizing debt profile.

This is why many think that the Oyetola era would heave a sigh of relief on the horizon and perhaps, take the state to an all-new level that would make them forget easily, whatever pains that the Aregbesola era might have left them.

But Oyetola’s first major political assignment would be next year’s election. How he would deliver Buhari amid growing discontent and a bungled deal with Senator Iyiola Omisore will be a delight to watch. In Osun, all eyes are on Oyetola.

Ugwuanyi

Abe

There is going to be a rat race here in Niger next year, when the election comes. The Governor, Abubakar Bello has been doing serious humanitarian campaign to cushion the effect of the unabated internal malcontents in the party. But he seems to have a good match in the PDP candidate, Umar Nasko.

Nasko recently came out to assure the electorate in the state that he would not take them for granted when voted into office in 2019. “I can assure you that I will run an open government where everyone will have a say and also contribute to the day-to-day administration of the state,” he said.

With the self-inflicted crisis in the APC, the opening left for the PDP is just for the taking and the opposition is evidently not leaving anything to chance. It is fast proving to be determined and reassuring.

RIVERS A Third Force Walks the Stage The supremacy battle between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Senator Magnus Abe took yet another dimension last week, when Oji Nyimenuate Ngofa, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Netherlands, who is the APC Senatorial candidate for Rivers South-East senatorial district, stepped into the fray and showed open support and loyalty to Amaechi.

Abe had last week come out to say the reason he was angry with Amaechi was because he embarrassed him before his wife over his charge to be governor of the state. But Ngofa has dismissed all of Abe’s claims, saying it was his unbridled ambition that was going to destroy the party.

“I will not be part of any aspiration that will create disunity within the leadership of Amaechi. And I did tell Abe that I did not think that we should divide the family, because of his aspiration, because the way I see it is that he has a right to aspire, nobody is challenging that, but I have issues with the fact that you want to upturn and destroy a system because of your own aspiration; a system that he has been part of, a system that Abe is one of its biggest beneficiaries.”

The crisis in Rivers State is far from being over and with the joining of a third force; it can only last a life time.

AKWA IBOM A Post-failed Coup Trauma It is allowed if the PDP in Akwa Ibom State is paranoid. For many days, the party kept raising the alarm that there was a grand plot to cause crisis in the state and forcefully take over the state by the APC. Therefore, when the failed coup at the state legislature became public knowledge especially, the account which seemed to point fingers at the police, not many people dismissed the cry of the PDP anymore.

But as it is, the party has not fully recovered from that experience. This is evident in a recent statement by the PDP Chairman in the state, Mr. Paul Ekpo, wherein he described an alleged call by the state Chairman of the APC, Mr. Ini Okopido, demanding of the President to declare a state of emergency in the state as a testimony to their earlier claim about the plan to instigate violence in the state.

From what happened last week, the state may not quite enjoy respite till after the elections since the APC and its ‘military wing’ has not hidden their desire to annex the oil rich state. That, certainly, will come at a cost. At what cost is what many do not know yet!

NIGER Opposition on the Prowl

Kwankwaso

Uduaghan

KANO Bringing the Battle Closer Home

charge.

But a five-man panel of the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Hannatu Sankey, in two separate appeals, voided the state pardon granted those former officials of the state. The judge held that the accused person, who had not been convicted, was presumed innocent and therefore could not be validly granted state pardon by the governor.

This development is now being interpreted to mean someone is fighting back. Whatever it is, Sokoto too is opening a new phase in the battle for 2019 in the state. This new direction promises to be a good show.

Former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan appears to be challenged to spring some surprises in next year’s election. The governor, who left the PDP for the APC out of frustration, boasted recently that Delta South votes were for the APC. Well, whatever promises he made to the APC must be backed with action.

There is no debating the fact that he lost relevance even before leaving office as governor.

How he plans to give effect to what he could not do as governor remains to be seen as campaign thickens in the oil rich state. But he needs not be reminded that Delta is a solid PDP state and not safe for political manipulation by the opposition.

BAUCHI Rising From the Ashes

BENUE Getting Personal

The political situation in Kano is evidently not going to abate till even after the elections. Naturally volatile, what the state has experienced in the last few days are however indications that it would be a defining battleground. The recent allegation of bribery against Governor Abdulahi Ganduje is one issue that won’t go away, no matter how hard they try to swing it under wrap.

Indications that the governor might have slightly risen from this affliction played out in the week when the Kano APC Caucus in the National Assembly moved against the Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso-led opposition in Kano State and described it as inconsequential to the re-election bid of Ganduje.

The lawmakers, including two Senators and 14 House of Representatives went ahead to pledge to deliver five million votes for the re-election bid of President Buhari. Ganduje is the incumbent, Kwankwaso, a no pushover is the immediate predecessor; Kano is certainly not enviable next year.

SOKOTO The Battle This Time

For Aminu Tambuwal’s Sokoto, the storm that arose a fortnight ago was calmed last week.

That perhaps, could have been taken to mean Sokoto had gone to bed for some time. Alas, that was erroneous. The dimension of the battle has only changed.

Recall that some persons were tried sometime back alongside former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, over an alleged N15billion fraud. The case, which was then ongoing, eventually attracted the pardon of the governor, perhaps for political reasons, and which many thought had naturally rested the

Only last week, Bauchi State battled strange killings in Yelwa, Lushi, Kagadama and Kusu areas of the state during some night parties. The development forced the state Police Command to place a ban on all forms of social gatherings without approval from the command.

However, in moving on from that ugly phase and in the thick of the election campaigns, the state, Governor Mohammed Abubakar recently offered N1 billion interestfree loan to traders and artisans in the state, following decline in the economic and commercial activities as well as increased dependence on government for employment opportunities in Bauchi The governor said the loan package would be perfected next week with banks, stressing that it was interest-free so that beneficiaries could repay with ease while also giving them the opportunities to expand the frontiers of their businesses to engage the teeming unemployed youths. Isn’t that a smart humanitarian campaign? He, however, needs to do more. That alone is not sufficient if he must remain an issue in the election.

DELTA Challenge before Uduaghan

Just last week, Benue basked in the euphoria of the recognition that the presidency accorded its move to stem the tide of herdsmen attacks and it seemed all was well, by extension, between the state and the APC. But that is not true.

Governor Samuel Ortom of the state has just threatened to report one of his predecessors in office, Senator George Akume before the Supreme Assembly of the Tiv Area Traditional Council over accusations that the state government was behind the incessant killings in the state.

Ortom noted that since the senator had chosen to tell President Muhammadu Buhari that militia herdsmen were not behind the massacre of Benue people, it implies that he has adequate knowledge of the killings and should explain to the traditional council in details. He described as shocking and unfortunate, Akume’s utterances, which were clearly in favour of enemies of the state.

Well, this is clearly taking the battle personal and however this is presented, to say the least in whatever language, it is simply playing politics of body count and that is in itself bestial.

Situating the Presidential Run

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he campaign for presidential election was kept apace last week by the two parties, who did not refrain from attacking each other. The PDP cheekily challenged Buhari to a one-onone debate, insinuating he was not in a position to even defend his own record.

But the Buhari Campaign Council had swiftly dismissed such insinuations, saying the president was not evading debate but would only participate if he was convinced that the circumstances

and rules for such debate were germane.

But the tenor of campaigns is expected to change this week as Atiku is billed to head to Sokoto tomorrow for field campaign works proper. The PDP, last week, also set up a presidential campaign council and immediately appointed people into key positions.

The week also witnessed some sparring between the two leading parties over the US visa status of the PDP candidate. That regardless, Atiku exuded

rare confidence and was sure he would defeat Buhari in 2019.

This week, however, campaign would go some notch up since candidates are now going to the field to canvass for votes. The two candidates are not doing badly at their levels. The only problem is the fear of violence, which is likely to be fuelled by increasing hate speeches. That aside, everyone longs to see what 2019 has in stock for Nigeria.

Atiku

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Can Atiku’s Economic Agenda Upstage Buhari’s Next Level Plan?

Since the launch of their policy documents, Nigerians have been wondering what Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, could do differently to outdo the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, writes Bamidele Famoofo

Economic activities at the Lagos Port

Atiku’s Promises his is a season of making promises in Nigeria.

Usually, promises are made to capture power at all levels of governance by politicians to fulfill their aspirations at the expense of mostly undiscerning and uninformed electorates in the country. Just like other presidential candidates, Atiku promised to run an issue-based campaign and has unveiled a five-point economic agenda which he believes will get Nigeria working again.

Atiku said he would run a competitive and open economic system; reform public institutions; reduce Infrastructure deficit; promote economic diversification and invest in human capital development to grow the economy.

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The critical policy priority according the policy document is to build a broad-based, dynamic and competitive economy with a GDP of US$900 billion by 2025. “By 2025, Nigeria shall make giant strides in diversifying its sources of power and delivering up to 20,000MW�, the policy document also noted.

For context, Nigeria has only been able to generate 7,000MW of electricity, while transmitting a little over 5,000MW, at the best of times.

Besides planning to double the current GDP figure and increasing power generation to an unprecedented 20,000MW in the next seven years from its current level of 7,000MW a level achieved for the first time by the current administration, Atiku also promised to create 12 million jobs as Nigeria’s president.

The statement from the Atiku campaign

organisation highlighted that “our policy document focuses on creating jobs, ensuring security, growing business, developing power and water infrastructure, agriculture and education and how we will empower women. “Our policies outline the goals and methods for developing and revitalising Nigeria as the foundation of our campaign.

This policy document is being launched to encourage a dialogue with the people of Nigeria, inviting everyone to join us in helping to get Nigeria working again.�

Atiku also promised to create an enabling environment where the private sector will get access to credit.

The policy document states that “enhanced private sector access to credit will be prioritised and regulatory institutions will be strengthened and their independence will be shielded from political interference.�

Economic Review A review of Nigeria’s economy by analysts at FocusEconomics suggests that the economy of Nigeria under the administration of Buhari appeared to have shifted into a higher gear in the third quarter following a slowdown in the second quarter. Incoming data, however, signals that growth cooled again at the beginning of the fourth quarter. According to the Ministry of Petroleum, oil output fell in October due to an escalation of sabotage attacks on oil production facilities. In addition, the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) dipped to a 16-month low in October as both growth in output and new orders lost momentum in the surveyed month. Buhari has been criticised for his economic policies—particularly over the mismanagement of the FX market and the rise in unemployment Nigeria Economic Growth.

Meanwhile, growth is seen strengthening

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Can Atiku’s Economic Agenda Upstage Buhari’s Next Level Plan?

Buhari and Atiku in a chat before the parting of ways

next year against the backdrop of rising oil production following a significant ramp-up in infrastructure investment in recent years. “Moreover, softer inflation and improved exchange rate liquidity should buoy domestic demand dynamics in 2019. Political uncertainty and downside risks related to the 2019 election cloud the outlook, however.� FocusEconomics panelists see GDP increasing 2.6 per cent in 2019, down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s estimate, and 3.0 per cent in 2020.

A review of the performance of the Buhari administration economic blueprint named Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)

by Deloitte one year after its launch showed that there was evident work in progress to ensure that the ERGP succeeds. Positive results are already manifesting in key economic indices such as real GDP growth year on year, growth in foreign reserves, downward trend in inflation, increased capital importation and narrowing foreign exchange gap. However, at year ended 2017, GDP was at 1.92 per cent growth rate, Nigeria ranked 145 in World Bank’s ease of doing business and power generation is hovering somewhere between 4,000 and 5,000 MW as against targeted metrics of 7 per cent GDP growth rate, ranking at 100 for ease of doing business and a 10,000 MW electricity generation by 2020.

The ERGP implementation team still has challenges to deal with. These include funding, budget implementation, security challenges (specifically in the North-east and North-central), fluctuation in global oil prices and increasing use of alternative sources of energy (e.g., shale oil).

The key drivers of any economic plan especially the ERGP are oil prices & production volumes, political stability and macro-economic policies.

The implementation team must continually guard these key drivers within the next two years as these will impact the achievement of the plan’s objective. In addition, other state governments should take a cue from states like Lagos, Kano and Ogun states by coming with similar all-round developmental plans to underpin the ERGP. Government at the state and local government levels through the National Economic Committee should be

involved to drive an all-inclusive implementation of the plan. “While some of the target metrics appear overly ambitious, overall the ERGP appears to be on course and remains quite robust and achievable. This is however subject to constant evaluation and assessment at fora, where questions such as how a 7 per cent growth can be achieved when capital expenditure is projected at 30 per cent per the plan. As these questions are asked, attention also needs to be paid to ensuring that this recovery plan translates into not just growth but development so that these gains are felt by the citizenry.

That notwithstanding, we will continue to track developments and achievements in the coming quarters with respect to the ERGP�, Deloitte said in its report.

Public Opinion Action Aid Nigeria, in swift reaction to the declarations by Atiku and Buhari on how to move the nation forward based on their policy documents, said both candidates were not clear on how to achieve their plans.

The international non-governmental organisation said the candidates should move steps forward from ‘what-to-how’, adding that having the policy documents were not sufficient.

ActionAid in a statement by its Communication Officer, Lola Ayanda, said the

organisation in the coming weeks, and during the presidential debate, expected the candidates to state in details to the electorates, how they want to deliver on these campaign promises with clear-cut benchmarks that are time-bound.

Buhari recently presented a policy document titled, ‘Next Level’, while Atiku on the other hand presented ‘Let’s Get Nigeria Working Again’, ahead of the 2019 elections.

Ayanda, who noted that the development agenda of the PDP is hinged on privatisation, said exercise had not worked in the past, particularly in the power sector; and so it is pertinent to tread carefully.

Action Aid stated that privatisation, rather than solve problems of corruption which has continued to undermine development in the country, has only deepened poverty and continued to widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

It expressed concern that privatisation would further increase the margin between the rich and the poor because with privatisation, public services would turn into a merchandise available only to the highest bidders.

On the other hand, it said the APC Healthcare Plan was focused on human resources, saying while it commended the plan to pay young doctors to work in rural communities, the effort might not yield much result without commensurate infrastructures, drugs, and

While some of the target metrics appear overly ambitious, overall the ERGP appears to be on course and remains quite robust and achievable. This is however subject to constant evaluation and assessment at fora, where questions such as how a 7 per cent growth can be achieved when capital expenditure is projected at 30 per cent per the plan

other essential healthcare consumables.

It would be recalled that Bill Gates, a leading American businessman once faulted the current administration’s economic templates, saying it lacked the ability to address the unique needs of Nigerians at present.

The investor noted that though Nigeria was rapidly approaching upper- middle income status, the country had �unmatched economic potential and what becomes of that potential depends on the choice Nigerian leaders makes.�

He said while the federal government’s ERGP identified “investing in our people� as one of three “strategic objectives�, the “execution priorities� did not fully reflect people’s needs, “prioritising physical capital over human capital.�

Recommendations Gates said the most important choice Nigerian leaders could make was “to maximise the country’s greatest resource, which is the people�. According to him, Nigeria will thrive when every Nigerian is able to thrive. “If you invest in their health, education, and opportunities- the human capital we are talking about today, then they will lay the foundation for sustained prosperity. If you don’t, however, then it is very important to recognise that there will be a sharp limit on how much the country can grow,� he said.

Meanwhile, Action Aid recommended that the agenda and programmes of the candidates for the various offices ought to be in tandem with the manifestos and official programme documents of the political parties of the respective candidates.

Without this synergy in the plans, it said, it was difficult to see or envisage how the programmes of candidates were going to be implemented in office if they are different from the programmes of the parties through which they got their mandates.

It stressed that focus should be placed on improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria, adding that a pay-as-you-earn model, where the wealthy pays more taxes, and an accountable revenue generation drive with clear plan on how to improve tax collection systems should be adopted.

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Closing the Electricity Metering Gap in Nigeria Following a recent disclosure by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that the metering gap in the country’s power sector has continued to enlarge, Chineme Okafor examines the approach to closing the gap

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ERC has said six in every 10 users of grid generated electricity supplied by 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) in Nigeria, have not been metered so far, thus indicating that five years into power privatisation, the practice of estimated billings by the Discos has remained prevalent.

In effect, the NERC report, which THISDAY gathered was prepared after the Discos had undertaken a comprehensive review of their metering statuses, showed that even though comprehensive metering was part of the performance agreements, the Discos signed with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) during the privatisation exercise, they hardly followed the plan, hence the widening gap.

To arrest this, the NERC indicated it would introduce a regulation to cap estimated bills given every other months to consumers by the Discos across board. This it suggested, could push the Discos to begin comprehensive metering of customers within their networks.

It equally noted that in the regulation, which it has asked for stakeholders’ input, consumers, who reject meters installed or do not want meters to be installed at their premises by Discos would be cut off from electricity supplies.

Metering Report In the consultation paper on capping of estimated bills NERC recently posted on its website, and which THISDAY obtained in Abuja, the commission said the 11 Discos in the power market had a collective customer base of 8,292,840, but have only been able to provide meters for just 3,591,168, while 4,701,672 have not been metered as at August 2018.

In its explanation of the development, NERC stated that the percentage of unmetered customers in the market was 57, adding that the practice of estimated billing by the Discos has continued to fuel payment apathy amongst consumers.

It said to cap estimated billing by Discos, it was considered options such as a cap on estimated billing based on the projected average monthly consumption of each tariff class in the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) model; application of the average consumption of each tariff class within a franchise area as the cap for estimated billing of unmetered customers; and capping the estimated bill of consumers within a business unit to the average vending of the same tariff class within the area.

According to the NERC, the performance agreement executed between the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and the core investors in the 11 Discos provided for the installation of end-use meters based on agreed targets. However, the actual performance as at August 2018 indicated that about every six in 10 customers were unmetered and therefore, subjected to estimated billing.

It explained: “The practice of estimated billing in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) has continued to constitute a major source of complaints by customers in all the Discos.

This practice has resulted in growing customer apathy to pay their bills leading to huge unsettled Disco invoices and calls for urgent metering of unmetered customers and timely reading of customer’s post-paid meters.�

NERC noted that the recent effort of the National Assembly to legislate against the practice of estimated billing reflected the public concerns about inadequate meters for electricity customers and flagrant abuse of the estimated billing process for both post-paid metered and unmetered customers. “In pursuit of eliminating the practice of estimated billing for unmetered customers in the NESI, the commission approved the Meter Asset Provider Regulation (MAP) with the main objective of fast tracking the roll-out of end-use meters for all consumers, thus ensuring that customers pay for only what they consume. “The implementation timeline for closing the metering gap is within three years, hence the need to address the concerns of customers during the transitional period,� NERC added.

It further stated that: “In line with the applicable regulations of the commission, no customer shall reject the installation of a meter on its premises.

Distribution licensees shall deny service to any customer who rejects the installation of a meter on its property.�

Samples of meters

Lingering Conversation Though the NERC report showed there was an increase in the number of consumers without meters, its content was however not entirely new considering that conversations about the sector’s metering gap have been ongoing for years now.

Consistently, the Discos have had to explain the challenges they have with ensuring universal metering of consumers in their networks, and each time such conversation came up, it had always been with lots of backlash and accusation that they were not keen on providing meters for their consumers because they benefitted from estimated billing.

Earlier in the year, an altercation between the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, and Discos on issues bordering on service delivery, which included metering, had the Executive Director for Research and Advocacy of the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Mr. Sunday Oduntan, claiming that the metering gap in the sector became what it is because the government failed to invest in metering during the over 62 years it owned and operated the Discos.

Oduntan equally noted that no other party could be more interested in universal metering of consumers than the Discos because according to him, “metering alone reduces collection losses very significantly and improves customers’ willingness to pay.�

New Approach Further to see that a process to end the anomaly was started and sustained, the NERC initiated a new electricity metering regime called the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) regulation, which was expected to kick off April with the invitation and shortlisting of independent meter firms to supply and install metering devices for consumers within the Discos’ networks on terms agreed on.

The NERC in a statement then, reasoned that the MAP regulation will fast-track its desire to close up the metering gap, as well as ensure that electricity consumers in the country only pay for what they actually consume.

It explained that it approved MAP to improve the supply, installation and maintenance of end-user meters by other parties other than the 11 Discos,

adding that Discos will be given about 120 days from the date of the MAP commencement to initiate a thorough procurement process to engage third party meter providers. “The regulation is expected to fast track a closure of the metering gap and encourages the development of independent and competitive meter services in the electricity industry. “The Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulation (Regulation No. NERC/R/112), which would become effective on April 3, 2018, introduces meter asset providers as a new set of service providers in Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry. “As assets with a technically useful life of 10 to 15 years, the regulation provides for the third-party financing of meters, under a permit issued by the commission, and amortisation over a period of 10 years,� said the NERC then.

According to the commission, the electricity distribution companies, in line with their licensing terms and conditions, are obliged to achieve their metering targets as set by the commission under the new regulation. The contracting of Meter Asset Providers shall be through an open, transparent and competitive bid process thus ensuring that meters are provided at a least cost to electricity customers.�

Clarifying that electricity meters were not to be deployed free of charge in the market by Discos, NERC said, “It is to be noted that there are no free meters even under the current tariff regime as all customers, including those on estimated billing, currently pay for a return on the investment made by electricity distribution companies on meters in their networks.� “Under the new MAP regulation, customer classes shall be amended to ensure that customers only pay for meters when a meter is physically installed in their premises. The electricity bill of customers provided with a meter under the new regulatory framework shall comprise of two parts – energy charge and metering service charge,� it added.

NERC explained that the payment of metering service charge will be removed from the customer electricity bill upon the full amortisation of the meter asset over its useful life, and that all faulty meters are expected to be repaired or replaced free of charge within two working days, except in instances where it is established that the customer is responsible for the damaged meter.

Additionally, the regulatory commission said the new MAP regulation would require the investors to acquire a minimum of 30 per cent of their metering volume from indigenous meter manufacturers. “This local content threshold may be adjusted by the commission from time to time in line with the verified manufacturing volume of local manufacturers. “The 11 electricity distribution companies are expected to, within 120 days from the effective date of the regulation, engage the services of MAPs towards the achievement of their three-year metering targets prescribed by the commission. “The performance of Meter Service Providers shall be governed by the provisions of the Meter Asset Regulation, technical codes of the electricity industry, and a meter services agreement/service level agreement signed with the distribution companies,� it explained.

The MAP regulation which is still under review, THISDAY learnt would in the coming weeks at a meeting in Lagos, be subjected to a thorough scrutiny by relevant stakeholders in the market, and this is notwithstanding that some Discos have begun its implementation with the engagement of metering firms the NERC has so far shortlisted to participate in the scheme.

Reactions Based on the development, and the NERC’s introduction of the MAP, advocates for standard consumer service delivery believe there could be hope for a close up of the metering, if the new regulation is adequately enforced.

Speaking to THISDAY on the side-lines of the just-concluded 2018 edition of the Power Safety Summit in Abuja, the President of the Nigerian Consumers’ Protection Network, Mr. Kunle Olubiyo, explained that existence of a clear and updated statistics on metering gap would go a long way in helping Discos invest in meter acquisition and installation. “The statistics are based on the ones that have been captured recently by the Discos, who were asked by the NERC to conduct a thorough room-to-room, house-to-house assessment of the metering gap in Nigeria and that has helped to increase the gap because there were some people that were not documented,� said Olubiyo.

24

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚΀

Transcorp Hilton App Delivers Unique Guest Experience

ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ?ĂŽ ĂŒĂŁ Demola Ojo Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Demola Ojo

recent stay at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja indicates that Nigeria’s leading hotel refuses to rest on its oars, as it keeps reinventing itself despite being lauded for its achievements across continents.

For a guest returning to the hotel for the first time in a year, notable changes are obvious right from the entrance, which has been remodelled for both security and aesthetic purposes.

This revamp has been done across the hotel’s 667 rooms and suites, the restaurants, bars and the spanking new Play nightclub.

A few weeks ago, the hotel won awards at simultaneous gala ceremonies across two continents; the World Travel Awards held in South Africa and the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards hosted in Greece.

The prominent World Travel Awards, established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence in the sector, have become a key global institution of the industry and is recognised as the ultimate hallmark of quality worldwide.

For the fourth year in a row, the Abuja Hilton emerged winner of World Travel Awards in five categories, most notably for Africa’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Hotel and Nigeria’s Leading Hotel Suite.

It’s not hard to see why the hotel keeps getting accolades. A particularly impressive upgrade to the Transcorp Hilton’s facilities is not immediately noticeable, but receptionists at the check-in counter are sure to bring the hotel’s new ICE app to your attention.

The introduction of the digital guest solution enables guests to control their experiences and engage with the hotel from their personal iOS and Android mobile devices even before they arrive on the property.

The app enables the hotel team to improve service and communication with guests.

All hotel services including dining options, on-site and off-site recreation spots, concierge services and more are made available on a guest’s personal iPhone, iPad, or Android smartphone or tablet.

Guests can access the information needed to personalize a stay anywhere they are (before, during and after a stay), and place requests that are sent directly to appropriate hotel team members.

Other services include pre-arrival requests, room service, housekeeping requests, valet services, turn down service, wake up call, do not disturb and more.

Poolside at Transcorp Hilton

In practical terms, the app changes the whole hotel experience. For example, you’re at the pool and you need your room service tray picked up, or your room cleaned? Check.

You’re out at a conference but you’ll be back in 30 minutes and you need your food ready and piping hot when you get back? Check.

There are so many more benefits, like airline booking and check-in, information on local attractions and of course, feedback.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja’s ICEapp, is available for download on Google Play or the App Store.

Considering how much time we spend on our personal devices, especially phones, this is an innovation certain to be a hit. In a few months, we’ll all start wondering how we survived without it.

While the ICE app is exciting to explore, it isn’t the only new technological addition to the guest experience. The little things matter, like having close to a hundred channels to choose from, including many not on the DSTV bouquet we are used to in Nigeria (I enjoyed watching FOX News).

The TV channels also come with a preview feature and information on subsequent

Award winning suite at Transcorp Hilton

programs. There are speakers in the bathroom too, ensuring you miss no voices or sounds, even when you miss visuals.

These new upgrades (and more) point to the Transcorp Hilton’s desire to continually improve, despite being a leader in its industry.

Reason why for the third consecutive year, the hotel was presented with Signum Virtutis - a seal of excellence - as the winner of the award Business Hotel (Africa) in Greece, at about the same time it was sweeping awards at the World Travel Awards.

Over 30 Countries Expected Ethiopian Wins Best African Airline at AFRAA at 2018 Carnival Calabar

The Chairman Calabar Carnival Commission has revealed that the 2018 edition of the carnival will host more than 30 countries as well as 25 states from Nigeria.

According to Gabe Onah, the 32-day annual street party which kicked off yesterday will be an opportunity to tell the story of the African race in line with the carnivals theme, `Africanism’.

Some of the countries expected include Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Greece, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal, Rwanda and the popular Brazilians, among others.

They will be joined by states which include Kano, Nasarawa, Anambra, Imo, Kaduna, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Kogi Enugu and more.

Onah revealed that the carnival has over the years brought tourists from all over the world to the state and has impacted positively on the state’s economy.

According to him, Calabar has been

the melting point of Africa’s hospitality due to its diverse tourism events and sites, the green environment and the warm hospitality of the people.

December 29 has been scheduled as the International Carnival Day. Onah assured tourists coming for the event of adequate security, stating that this aspect has been given topmost priority. “Calabar carnival is a platform that has made itself a template to measure any beautiful art of festival or tourism product because all the ingredients that make for a tourism product are present here. “The carnival is a pull factor that brings visitors and tourists alike to the clean and beautiful city of Calabar.

The value of any event of this nature is seen through the socio-economic impact on the people,� he said.

He pointed to the number of hotels that have sprung up in recent times and the local garment industry

fuelled by costumes as testament of the carnival’s impact.

The Cross River Government Garment Factory which is in partnership with Blue Ocean of India, is a new range of wears which include T-shirts, boxers, shirts and trousers.

Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, had recently disclosed that they would be launched during this year’s carnival. According to Ayade, the factory was established in line with its vision to produce clothing that can compete with the best designs in the world. He said they would go by the name, “Callyphina�.

Ayade further said it was the dream of his administration that the factory would dominate the T-shirt market in the country.

According to the managing consultant of Blue Ocean, Mr Atul Kakkar, the samples shown to the public were made by indigenes of Cross River.

Ethiopian Airlines, the largest Aviation Group in Africa has won the 2018 Best Airline in Africa Award for the 7th year in a row from African Airlines Association (AFRAA).

The award was give in recognition of its exceptional financial performance at the 50th high profile African Airline Association Annual General Assembly held last week in Rabat, Morocco.

Group CEO of Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam said, “We are thrilled to win this prestigious award. In the last seven years we have been coming to AFRAA AGA and receiving this continental highprofile award every single year.

The award attests to the soundness of Ethiopian’s fast, profitable and sustainable growth plan, Vision 2025 and the associated

business model, GebreMariam continued.

In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian - the fastest growing airline in Africa - has become one of the continent’s leading carriers.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the Pan-African passenger and cargo network, operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 116 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents.

Its fleet with an average age of five years includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft like the Airbus A350, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 777-200LR with the airline being the first in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

25

DECEMBER 2, 2018 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R with FUNKE OLAODE 08099400206, funkola2000@gmail.com

GLITZ EVENT

Nigeria Shines at 2018 Commonwealth Fair in London Kessington Town Hall on Hornton Street in London, United Kingdom, was a beehive of activities as more than 53 Commonwealth countries gathered under one roof in support of the Commonwealth Girls’ Education. Funke Olaode, who was in London, captures the moment

T

he music booming from the speakers reminded everyone of its root – soul-searching and rhythmic African music. There were different artefacts and flags that depicted each national’s identity. There were also flamboyant displays of arts and culture, reminding you of Africa and its inhabitants. The aroma of cuisines from different countries rent the air. They were people from different geographical zones but with only one cause, raising money for the less privileged girl child in the Commonwealth countries.

The Nigerian High Commission put up a spectacular display of Nigerian culture and traditions with different artefacts ranging from handmade bags with ankara, local beads, art work, and head ties made with aso-oke on display.

The Nigerian identity and culture dominated the environment as wives of top government officials led by the wife of Nigeria High Commissioner to London, Mrs. Modupe Oguntade, clad in green attire with a head tie that drew visitors to the Nigerian tent. They were cynosure of all eyes as both Europeans and non-Europeans took turns to take photographs with them. Also, at the Nigerian food stand were jollof rice, fried rice, amala, gbegiri, ewedu, moin-moin,

efo-riro, fried plantain and so on. Other Africans too were not left out as they all jostled for attention and patronage to their tents. Indeed it was a day to remember as invited guests enjoyed the diversity of the Commonwealth nations.

On November 10, 2018, the entire African countries moved to London as they converged on the magnificent Kessington Town Hall for the annual Commonwealth Fair. In its 15th year, the purpose of this year’s gathering was to raise money to sponsor girl’s education in all Commonwealth countries through the Commonwealth Girls Education.

Being an annual event, over 50 nationals from across the continent took part in this year’s event.

Nigerian delegate was led by the Nigerian High Commissioner to London, Ambassador George Oguntade, and his wife, Modupe.

Other dignitaries were the wife of the Nigerian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Mrs. Fatima, Habiss, Minister/ Head of information, Culture and Sports, Nigeria High Commission, London, Mr. Olukayode Aluko, Minister/ Head, Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria High Commission in London, Mr. Ahmed Sule, Chief Librarian at the Nigerian High Commission in London,

: L-R: Minister/Head, Industry, Trade and Investment, Nigeria High Commission in London, Mr. Ahmed Sule, Mrs. Modupe Oguntade, Nigerian High Commissioner to London. Amb. George Oguntade and Minister/Head of information, Culture and Sports, Nigeria High Commission, London, Mr. Olukayode Aluko at the event.

Photos: FUNKE OLAODE

Mrs. Bose Oworu by her stand at the fair

Anthony Adeloye, Mrs. Modupe Bakare, Mrs. Marian Gazi, Ms. Ekua Abudu, Mrs. Bose Oworu, Mrs. Remi Thompson amongst other dignitaries Throwing more light on what the event entails, Chief Librarian at the Nigerian High Commission, London, Anthony Adeloye, said basically the purpose is to raise fund.

“This fair is done annually to encourage all Commonwealth Countries to come together under one roof to sell their crafts, cuisines and try to raise money to sponsor less privileged students particularly girl child to enter secondary schools in commonwealth nations. It is being going on now for more than 15 years. The response has been wonderful. Members of the British community are also coming to enjoy what we have to offer. It is a very useful event to know each other,” said Adeloye.

How does the committee select the beneficiaries?

He explained: “After raising the fund we would give it to less privileged students girls who are talented but cannot afford fees to go to secondary school. They would apply for scholarships. There is an emphasis on girl-child education which has been an issue in the third world countries.

The majority of girls are unable to afford school fees to enter post primary school.

This we believe is the avenue to help them to attain higher education. I am pleased to say that some of the girls that have been sponsored through the Commonwealth Fair Funds have become teachers, doctors, nurses. They have also formed an alumni association. So it has been a wonderful experience for us touching lives through various high commissions. So away from home and even in Diaspora we are touching lives. And I am happy to say at the moment we are sponsoring three girls in Nigeria in secondary school. And after secondary we can help them to aspire to go for tertiary education.” Corroborating Adeloye, Oguntade said he was delighted to be part of this life changing experience.

“This event is being organized under the auspices of Commonwealth and the idea is to raise money to help the less privileged particularly the girl-child in all the commonwealth countries. It is very deserving and I am very committed to it because if you educate a girl, you empower a woman in the process you inspire a community and have definitely touched a live. I am pleased that as Nigerians in Diaspora we are here are taking part in it,” he stated.

: L-R: Mrs. Modupe Oguntade and Ms. Mo Abud

: L-R: Wife of Nigerian High Commissioner to Serria Leone, Mrs. Fatima Habiss, Mrs. Modupe Oguntade and Mrs. Remi Thompson.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşËœ ͺ͸͚΀

26

Nigeria Ranks Poorly in Human Capital Indices: Now World Capital of Under 5 Deaths?

Nigeria Ranks Poorly in Human Capital Indices: Now World Capital of Under 5 Deaths?

To reverse this trend and consistently improve perfor-

highlighted that nancing is important. n line

mance, the World Bank shared interes ng ideas.

World Bank,

ith the

e believe this can only be achieved by

eek lo er, do n 2.5%, 2.6% and 0.1% W o W respecvely.

enhancing the collec on of ta revenues.

The World Bank recently published its second Bi

The posi ve ne s is that if Nigeria is deeply com-

Annual Economic Report for Nigeria and the insights

mi ed to educa on and health, there may be some

'ĹŻĹ˝Ä?Ä‚ĹŻ Ć‹ĆľĹ?Ć&#x;ÄžĆ? DÄ‚ĆŒĹŹÄžĆšÍ— Investors on Edge as US China

mance in the market as 4 of 5 markets recorded losses W

shared on human capital development caught our eye.

quick

DĞĞƚ Ăƚ ' 20 Summit this Weekend

o W. UAE s AD

We had earlier made reference to Nigeria͛s dire performances in health and educa on in our previous eekly notes in October 2018. We also took the debate fur-

ther and included human capital development as one of the priori es for the ne t administra on ͞ώϏϭϾ– 2023) in our 2018 Banking Sector Report. As such,

e

ere interested in the World Bank͛s perspec ve. This edi on of the update reveals ugly facts about human capital in Nigeria and it also highlights the stark di er-

ins. or instance, vaccines for pneumonia as

ell as treated bed nets and sensi sa on on malaria Buenos Aires, Argen na later this

risen among global investors on the likely outcome.

lo est spend on health in the orld at 0.6% of GDP, it

There is the e pecta on that discussions around trade

is possible to do more

ith less, as the quality of

kno ing the course of the heated trade

the spending is on secondary and ter ary care, mean-

ne t year. rom

hile primary and preven ve care could have a bigger impact.

decade, much needs to be done, especially in the face

GDP (4.7% average for SSA) is spent and elementary

of limited resources and a fast gro ing popula on.

educa on is not priori sed. The Bank noted that high fer lity rate

as a major dra back to gro th and

spending on human capital development because it puts pressure on already limited resources.

out of school as the out of school rate in Nigeria orsened to 27.2% as at 2016/17 (24.0% in 2010), one of the highest globally. The children

ho manage to

a end school in Nigeria complete only 8.2 years of pre primary, primary and secondary school by 18 years old.

When this is adjusted for the quality of learning, this becomes only 4.2 years of educa on – sugges ng that the average SS3 student only acquires kno ledge

Overall, the Bank noted that interven ons should be evidence based and targeted at speci c areas measurable goals. The poli cal over a sustained period

ith

ill to implement this

as also a cri cal considera-

on. The World Bank took the conversa on further by taking part in the inaugural mee ng of the

uman

only 20.0% of Nigerians of age ϭϴ–ϯϳ ho have com-

educa on

pleted secondary school can read, compared to 80.0%

commendable, e note that these have rarely yielded

in Tanzania.

substan al progress. The more prac cal and inter-

of teachers is a dispropor onate cause. n 2017, the Bank es mated that only 24.0% and 31.0% of teachers had the minimum kno ledge required in language and

eek, specula-

di erent agendas. o ever, many s ll see the poten al for a truce hereby the US delays the increase in tari s

hich should align priori es. While this is

on China in return for concessions.

W to lead laggards, follo ed by Thailand SET inde (

2.0% W o W), Saudi Arabia s Tada ul AS ( 1.2% W o W) and atar s DS

20 inde ( 0.3% W o W).

ŽžĞĆ?Ć&#x;Ä? Ć‹ĆľĹ?Ć&#x;ÄžĆ? ZĞǀĹ?ÄžÇ Í— ^Ğůů KÄŤĆ? Ĺ?Ĺś ŽžĞĆ?Ć&#x;Ä? Ĺ˝ĆľĆŒĆ?Äž PersistÍ™NSE ASI down 2.5% W o W; down 19.3% YTD The bearish run of the NSE All Share nde (AS ) e tended this

Given a rela vely op mis c vie

as

eek, as sell o s in market bell ethers

eighed on overall performance. As a result, the bench-

the of the upcoming

eek, falling 2.5% W o W to se le at 30,874.17

points. ike ise, YTD loss further deepened to 19.3%

as

hile market capitalisa on shed N240.6bn W o W to

largely bullish across board. n the US markets, the S P

close at N11.3tn. Similarly, trading ac vity eakened as

500 and the NASDA

eek higher, up 4.0%

average volume and value traded decreased by 25.2%

hile the UK TSE gained

and 50.6% W o W to 239.7m units and N2.9bn respec-

mee ng, the performance of developed markets

closed the

and 4.8% W o W respec vely

0.5% W o W. Similarly, rance s CAC 40 ( 1.0% W o W),

vely. The top traded stocks by volume

ere ACCESS

Germany s ETRA DA ( 0.5% W o W) and Japan͛s Nikkei

(159.8m units), UNIVINSURE (150.1m units) and DIA-

225 ( 3.3% W o W) appreciated during the

DKE E< (70.0m units)

eek. Addi-

hile ^d E / (N2.2bn) ,

E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ (N1.2bn) and NESTLE (N1.2bn)

onally, ong KongÍ&#x203A;s ang Seng rose 2.2% W o W.

topped trades by value. as largely The

eek started o

on a nega ve note as the AS

as recorded in Brazil s bovespa, up 4.1% W o W, hile

dipped 0.3% due to sell o s in market bell ethers â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

ndia s BSE Sens ( 3.5% W o W), Russia s RTS ( 1.2% W o

E' D, E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ and GUARANTY. The

W) and South AfricaÍ&#x203A;s TSE/JSE All Share ( 0.8% W o W)

nega ve performance

also advanced. inally, China s Shanghai Composite gre

sessions, declining 1.3%, 0.5% and 1.3% on Tuesday,

0.3% W o W.

Wednesday and Thursday respec vely but upturned on riday

as sustained for 3 consecu ve

ith the AS rising 0.9%, largely due to gains in

es ng ideas included the sugges on that states should

n Africa, there

be empo ered to play a greater role in educa on and

ces under our coverage

health, and that interven on should priori se vulnera-

NSE 20,

ble groups and regions. We also strongly align

ith

SE DE inde appreciated by 1.1%, 0.6% and 0.4% W o

under our coverage advanced

e

W respec vely. On the ip side, NigeriaÍ&#x203A;s All Share nde ,

The nsurance inde gained the most, up 4.7% W o W

believe o ers a scalable op on that can be e plored

EgyptÍ&#x203A;s EG 30 and GhanaÍ&#x203A;s GSE Composite closed the

due to sustained buy interest in CONTINSURE ( 6.4%)

the call to ac on on technology adop on

hich

as a mi ed performance as 3 of 6 indi-

E' D ( 1.0%) and E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ( 4.1%).

ere posi ve W o W. KenyaÍ&#x203A;s

orocco Casablanca

AS

and

auri us

for service delivery. Ul mately, the stakeholders

Performance across sectors

as mi ed as 2 of 5 indices hile 3 declined W o W.

hile the Consumer Goods inde rose 0.1% W o W due

mathema cs respec vely. Without be er outcomes in

educa on, Nigeria

ith a return of 4.5% W o W. On the ip side,

Turkey s B ST 100 recorded the orse return of 2.6% W o

mark inde posted losses on 4 of the 5 trading sessions in

bullish as all indices trended north ards. The largest gain

The call to ac on included a na onal dialogue on

World BankÍ&#x203A;s report indicated that the poor kno ledge

e observed this

sector. Stakeholders at the event reached a call to

3. The overall e ect of the facts discussed above is that

the lack of infrastructure and teaching materials, the

hat

Across the BR CS markets, performance

ac on on several areas a er delibera ons.

General nde emerged as the lone

ith some analysts leaning to ards an

Capital Working Group of the G and the private

equivalent to hat should have been learnt in primary

While one can a ribute these to several issues such as

ons are rife,

ar over the

inconclusive agreement given that both countries have here only 1.6% of

iddle East, there as a bearish perfor-

ill dominate the G 20 summit as investors are keen on

spending needs improvement. or instance, most of

The same applies in educa on

Over nine million children of primary school age are

eekend, tension has

Similarly, although the Nigerian government has the

Although there have been improvements over the last

velopment

gainer Ahead of the US â&#x20AC;&#x201C; China mee ng at the G 20 summit in

can bring about signi cant improvements.

ences in outcomes for gender and regions in Nigeria.

Poor Quality of Human Capital Perpetuates Underde-

n Asia and the

to bargain hun ng in NESTLE ( 1.4%) and /Ed Z t

ill not reach its full economic

( 1.8%). On the ip side, the Oil

poten al. The World Bank es mates that educa on accounts for 10% 15% of the di erence in per capita

income across countries.

Gas inde shed the

most, do n 5.1% W o W due to sell pressures in SEPLAT

( 9.7%) and OANDO ( 2.1%). Similarly, the ndustrial Goods and Banking indices declined, do n 3.4% and

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es actualisa on of full poten al. Without quality

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the poverty trap as their earnings in the marketplace is

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lo er. urthermore, poor health outcomes a ect the

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overall economy as malaria alone costs 13.5% of GDP,

$

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not to men on other diseases and the poor healthcare

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the risk of dying and not learning much in school hich

health, majority of the poor nd it di cult to escape

% ,

(

eakened this

eek, as market

breadth (advance/decline ra o) decreased to 0.6 , from

&

1.2 in the previous

eek, follo ing 23 stocks that ad-

vanced against 39 that declined. The best performing eek

ere CONTINSURE ( 33.3%), Ͳ

TAGLAS ( 10.0%) and CUTIX ( 9.6%)

hile DIA-

DKE E< ( 31.6%), UNITY ( 18.8%) and dZ E^ ( 12.9%) ere the orst performing stocks. ollo ing four

!

" %

#

!

!

days of losses in the

eek,

e e pect to see some bar-

gain hun ng in early trades ne t

eek. o ever,

not e pect this to be sustained all through the

e do

eek as

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the overall bearish sen ment, stoked by poli cal uncertainty, is e pected to

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system. Thus, the compounded impact of these dire

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educa on and health sta s cs over the past decades

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and in the future is de nitely a thing to ponder.

nvestor sen ment

stocks for the

from chronic malnutri on. This means that they are at

s

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3.0% W o W respec vely due to price deprecia on in

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Thus, term.

eigh on market performance.

e maintain our bearish outlook over the near

27

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşË&#x153; ͺ͸͚Î&#x20AC;

Money Market: CBN Increases Spate of Mop Ups as

subscribed as investors sought to take advantage of the

The CBN, in response, introduced an addi onal dollar

respec vely. This

System Liquidity Soars

longer tenors hich o ered more a rac ve rates.

interven on day (every Thursday) to Bureau De Change

yield se ling at 15.5% for the

(BDC) operators and increased its

bearish performance to linger as foreign investors do n-

Ac vity in the money market signi cantly increased in

On Wednesday, T bills maturity

the eek, rela ve to the prior eek, as the CBN oated

into the system ho ever, these instruments

a series of O O auc ons as

ell as the scheduled T

over. At the auc on, the 91 day (O er N22.7bn, Sale

bills Primary

orth N150.6bn came ere rolled

arket Auc on to curtail the e pected

N24.3bn), 182 day (O er N24.8bn, Sale N23.2bn) and

boost to system liquidity from AAC in o (N405.6bn),

364 day (O er 103.1bn, Sale N103.1bn) instruments

coupon payment and maturing instruments. System

ere issued at marginal rates of 10.9%, 13.1% and 14.5%

liquidity at the start of the

eek stood at N355.1bn,

lo er than N637.9bn at the close of the prior due to an O O auc on oated by the CBN on

onday.

day before rising to as high as N586.7bn on Thursday hich hit the

Given the jump in system liquidity during the ere conducted on

eek,

onday, Thursday

market rates, Open Buy Back (OBB) and Overnight (O N) trended higher, from 15.2% and 15.8% on

onday to

17.2% and 18.0% respec vely on Wednesday. o ever,

and 10.8% W o W. Sen ment in the T bills market bearish this

eek,

Average T bills rate opened the

At the O O auc on on

steadily to 13.7% at the end of the

N50.0bn, Sale N19.1bn) and 360 day (O er N100.0bn, Sale N142.0bn) instruments

dayÍ&#x203A;s auc on, the 98 day (O er

ere issued at marginal rates of 11.7%, 13.2% and riday, the 97 day (O er

N20.0bn, Sale N0.006bn), 181 day (O er N30.0bn,

slumped belo

US 60.00/b to US 59.91/b (29/11/2018)

orth N684.8bn

ill

e e pect money market

rates to trend lo er to a single digit band. Nevertheless, e believe the CBN

30 instruments trended lo er W o W. This bullish performance reversed

eeks of sell o s

itnessed across

the SSA instruments as the US ed hinted at a likely

ence, in terms of direc on of rates during the eek, the

Ghanaian, Gabonese, vorian, Kenyan, ambian Senega-

naira fell across all segments as parallel market rate

lese and South African instruments declined 1bps,

depreciated N6.00 W o W to N370.00/US 1.00 hile the

19bps, 11bps, 21bps, 47bps, 3bps and 6bps W o W

CBN spot rate fell 5kobo to close the

respec vely.

eek at N305.45/

ill con nue

ith its liquidity mop

o ever, Nigerian instruments inched

US 1.00. Similarly, at the nvestorsÍ&#x161; Î&#x2DC; E portersÍ&#x203A; ( E)

13bps higher W o W. N GER A 2022 itnessed the most

Windo , the naira opened the eek at N361.41/US 1.00

sello s in the

but lost 11kobo to se le at N361.52/US 1.00. Also, ac vity level in the NA E

E Windo rose by 49.8% W

eek follo ing a 0.1% rise in yield

D OTC open futures contract market, total subscrip-

eek, ith signi cant buying interest no ced in the OCT 2019 instrument. n the coming

eek,

e e pect the

on the instrument tapered 62bps W o W. The Nigerian Corporate Eurobonds

bid to ensure e change rate stability across all market

ity of the instruments. Yields on all instruments, save the ACCESS 2021 and D A OND 2019, advanced W o W. EN T 2022 itnessed the most sell pressure, up 56bps to 0.6% W o W hile bargain hun ng in D A OND 2019 persisted

Foreign Exchange Market: Naira Falls to One Year Low

Bond Market: Possible Pause on US Fed Rate Hike in

Notwithstanding Mild Gain in FX Reserves

2019 Eases Pressure on Emerging Market Assets

During the

The domes c bond market performance

arket performance

as largely bearish as investors took pro t across major-

CBN to con nue dollar interven ons in the market in a

segments.

hilst subscrip on rates e note

that the short term instruments s ll remained under-

eek,

e sa

the foreign reserves halt a 4

month decline, adding US 476.0m over 3 days in the eek to se le at US 42.0bn, a W o W gain of 0.9%

4.5%.

ith average yield on the instrument do n

o ever, D A OND 2019 is the best performer,

ith a YTD price return of 6.1%. n the coming eek e e pect to see sustained buy interest in the D A OND

during the

as bearish

eek. Despite this gain, in the parallel market on

from the previous ridayÍ&#x203A;s close of 15.4%. This trend as

Thursday as demand for Personal/Business Travel Allo -

sustained on Tuesday, as average yield further e panded

ance (PTA/BTA) increased.

2bps. o ever, on Wednesday and Thursday, the trend

the naira fell to a one year lo

ell as

pricing of the Eurobond.

eek as average yield across all instruments

rose 7bps to close at 15.5% W o W. The eek started o slightly bearish as average yield inched 1bp up ards

against US 41.6bn in the prior

hile

A B AN 2024 recorded the most buy interest as yield

o W to US 1.4bn from US 1.0bn in the prior eek. n the

ups in order to keep liquidity levels in check.

rates at the auc on on Thursday and riday ere high-

eek,

market, performance as largely bullish as yield on 19 of

2019 instrument, given the a rac ve yield as

of 11.8%, 13.5% and 15.0% respec vely. No ceably,

improved during the auc ons in the

reserves further dampened as Brent Crude prices

50.0bn, Sale

ere issued at marginal rates

er than prior auc ons. Also,

eek, O O maturity

hit the system and as a result

N50.0bn, Sale

N6.3bn) and 342 day (O er

ty. Similarly, the prospect for a stronger accre on in

Across the Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) Sovereign Eurobond

ons rose 7.1% W o W to US 4.4bn from US 4.1bn last

n the coming

364 day (O er 400.0bn, Sale N307.6bn) instruments

N113.5bn) instruments

eek â&#x20AC;&#x201C; up 0.5% W o

W.

hile at Thurs-

N0.2bn), 182 day (O er N150.0bn, Sale N16.4bn) and

Sale

eek at 13.1% but rose

ere issued at marginal

rates of 13.0% and 14.5% respec vely

14.8% respec vely. On

as

ith sell o s recorded across tenors.

and riday hile a T bills P A as held on Wednesday. onday, the 192 day (O er

size their investments in vie of poli cal risk.

pause on rate hikes in 2019. Thus, average yield across Consequent on the liquidity dynamics in the eek, money

and O N reduced to 16.6% and 17.4% by riday, up 10.7%

O O auc ons

CBNÍ&#x203A;s aim to maintain e change rate stability and liquidi-

from a one month high of US 75.04/b (31/10/2018).

follo ing a boost to system liquidity on Thursday, OBB

system.

ith average

eek. We e pect the

the rising dollar demand. This response is in line ith the

eek,

iquidity level trended lo er to N118.0bn by Wednes-

follo ing an O O maturity of N443.8bn

respec vely.

eekly sales by an

addi onal US 15,000 to US 75,000 in a bid to address

as sustained ll riday,

as halted as average yield contracted by 4bps and 1bp

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Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Investment Research Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Jolomi Odonghanro | jodonghanro@afrinvest.com

28

Ë&#x153; Ëž DECEMBER 2, 2018

MARKET NEWS

Stockbrokers Decry Local Participation of Domestic Investors Goddy Egene The President and Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Adedapo Adekoje, has decried the low level of domestic investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; participation in the capital market and low number of companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

Speaking at the 2018 SEC Journalist Academy in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State, Adekoje said participation of domestic investors

is very low, saying less than five per cent of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population was patronising the market as investors.

He added that less than one per cent of companies that are registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) were listed on the NSE. He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The truth is that we are not yet where we are supposed to be. In fact, we still have a very long way to go, in bringing the Nigerian capital market to a level where it will

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sharesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the

truly galvanise the leap of the Nigerian economy to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;developedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; status.â&#x20AC;?

However, he attributed the low investorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; patronage of the market to lack of enough awareness on the benefits of investing in the market.

The CIS boss, therefore harped on the need for government at all levels to accord capital market development the needed priority, just as he said that stockbrokers must be involved in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy formulation.

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 29 -11-2018, unless otherwise stated.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nigeria, as the globally acknowledged â&#x20AC;&#x153;giant of Africaâ&#x20AC;? has huge responsibilities to its people and the African continent.

Our continuous appellation as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;less developed countryâ&#x20AC;? is both an aberration and an embarrassment to Nigerians and Africans alike. The government at all levels in the country must begin to give capital market development priority attention in its scheme of things,â&#x20AC;? he said.

According to him, we need a lot of financial literacy programmes

to bring the market at par with other emerging economics. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let us join hands with the regulators and operators to spread the gospel of the capital market. Let us take one critical steps within our jurisdiction to enhance the impact of our market in our immediate environment for th market to function optimally.

I believe that there is a role that each and every one of us need to play to develop the market,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He urged government to

explore opportunities in the capital market to access cheaper funds to finance massive projects.

Adekoje added that stockbrokers must be involved in the entire government budget process, and in major policy drafting within and internationally.

He declared that it is in the interest of the country that stockbrokers be involved in government delegations to major international economic and financial.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 158.20 159.20 -10.88% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 273.90 275.43 18.49% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.83 0.84 0.50% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 6.79% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.45% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.21 2.23 -3.86% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 16.67 17.17 -8.76% ARM Discovery Fund 357.94 368.73 -8.00% ARM Ethical Fund 28.20 29.05 3.23% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.39% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 131.26 132.18 -13.47% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.22% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 0.00% Paramount Equity Fund 11.50 11.80 3.74% Women's Investment Fund 101.30 103.89 0.66% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.14% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 99.21 99.31 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 97.59 97.92 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.24% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.83 0.84 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.16 1.16 10.10% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 10.59% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 11.02% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,170.23 1,170.98 11.53% FBN Heritage Fund 140.87 142.07 1.01% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.66% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 112.04 112.43 2.93% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 111.75 112.14 2.78% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 145.16 147.20 -8.57% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.20 1.22 -6.99% Legacy Debt Fund 3.21 3.21 11.17% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.02 1.02 2.22% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,938.18 2,966.83 -1.59% Coral Income Fund 2,732.93 2,732.93 11.64% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.27% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 105.55 105.87 5.22% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 123.27 123.44 0.00%

Vantage Balanced Fund 2.13 2.15 0.86% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.27% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 100.00 100.00 12.10% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.19 1.22 4.16% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 105.55 105.87 MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 10.97 11.06 -15.14% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 11.27% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.33 1.35 11.55% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.08 12.14 9.43% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.25% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 126.71 127.11 -2.32% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.69 1.69 13.50% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,296.75 2,311.51 4.52% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 188.13 188.13 8.04% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.94 0.95 -6.44% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 245.07 245.11 13.55% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 159.53 161.32 -10.92% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 11.80% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,383.00 8,484.31 -11.83% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.10 1.10 6.75% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.17 1.18 -1.53% United Capital Bond Fund 1.58 1.58 10.26% United Capital Equity Fund 0.70 0.71 -7.39% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.65% United Capital Eurobond Fund 106.43 106.43 6.35% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.08 1.09 3.85% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 11.04 11.20 -8.27% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.08 12.18 -6.34% Zenith Income Fund 20.56 20.56 11.44% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.37%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

9.00 139.26 51.55

-20.11% 5.13% 1.42%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

114.07 87.15

116.48 88.79

0.00% -20.14% -20.22%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva GrifďŹ n 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

SPECIALIST FUNDS*

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.90 7.24 14.37 12.33 141.46

3.94 7.32 14.47 12.53 143.46

-17.55% -24.19% -17.64% -37.14% 5.27%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.13

17.03%

FOR HNI & PROFESSIONAL INVESTORS ONLY

Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website and FMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

02.12.2018

Amb. George Oguntade From Judiciary to International Diplomacy ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

30

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His Agility, Versatility and Humanity

Oguntade, presenting his letter of Credence to the British Monarch, Queen Elizabeth ll at Buckingham Palace while his wife, Modupe watches in admiration

His gait reflects the agility of a 40-year-old man as he emerges to join the gleeful crowd at Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kessington Town Hall.

His sartorial elegance is enchanting for a diplomat of his age.

He was a legal colossus that once traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria. A modest mind with towering intellectual capacity, he is a dream companion for every man and woman.

As with age and grace, he has almost all the aces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; he is versatile and agile. Classy, cosmopolitan and connected; his articulation and conviviality have endeared him to the Nigerian High Commissionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staff and foreign diplomats and dignitaries. You can describe his transition from the judiciary to international diplomacy as dramatic given his age. With a sombre, confident but humble mien, his metamorphosis is phenomenal. Funke Olaode, who sat down with the juristturned-diplomat in London, the United Kingdom, writes about Oguntadeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s episodes and exploits

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COVER From Supreme Court to Nigerian High Commission in UK

H

e has often been trailed with many accomplishments both in his private and public life. As a judge, he rose through the ranks to become a justice of the Supreme Court. He has also recorded successes as a family with his charming, beautiful wife – Modupe – by his side and children who call the shots in their various endeavours. He is an accomplished jurist with over 40 years’ experience in the Nigerian judicial system before he retired in 2010. But there is something about the Epe-born judge-turned-diplomat. It his personality: charming, friendly and humorous.

Oguntade as a judge of high repute is also a people’s man who holds his family in high esteem. He is always present at events organised by his family and his close friends; and always supportive.

This has endeared him to his friends of many decades including his longtime ally and famous Eleganza boss, Razaq Akanni Okoya. He spent many decades traversing the Nigerian judicial system until he reached the apex court.

Oguntade has remained true to himself with no air of arrogance.

When the lists of ambassadors nominated by the then newly elected President Muhammadu Buhari surfaced early last year, one name stood out: Oguntade’s. At almost 77 then, the doubting Thomases felt he was too old for the special assignment he was nominated to perform. But after almost one year at the helm of the affairs of the Nigerian Embassy in the UK, Oguntade has proved himself to be a man that Nigerians can count on. As with age, Oguntade has almost all the aces – he is versatile and agile. Classy, cosmopolitan and well connected. His sartorial disposition, articulation and conviviality have endeared him to the Nigerian High Commission’s staff and foreign diplomats and dignitaries.

Surrounded by staff of the Nigerian High Commission at the 2018 Commonwealth held at Kessington Town Hall on Hornton Street in London, Oguntade’s conviviality was infectious as he moved around to ensure that the event ran smoothly.

“This fair is done annually to encourage all Commonwealth Countries to come together under one roof to sell their crafts, cuisines and try to raise money to sponsor less privileged students particularly girl-child to enter secondary schools in the Commonwealth nations. It has been going on for more than 15 years,” the ambassador told THISDAY. “After raising the fund,” Oguntade continued, “we would give it to less privileged students girls who are talented but cannot afford fees to go to secondary school. They would apply for scholarships. There is an emphasis on girl-child education, which has been an issue in the third world countries.

The majority of girls are unable to afford school fees to enter post primary school.

This we believe is the avenue to help them to attain higher education.”

A humane persona, Oguntade is an embodiment of empathy and a vocal advocate of education particularly of girls.

“I am pleased to say that some of the girls that have been sponsored through the Commonwealth Fair Funds have become teachers, doctors, nurses,” he enthused, adding, “They have also formed an alumni association. So it has been a wonderful experience for us touching lives through various high commissions. So away from home and even in Diaspora we are touching lives.

And I am happy to say at the moment we are sponsoring three girls in Nigeria in secondary school. And after secondary we can help them to aspire to go for tertiary education.”

Yet, there is more to his sense of accomplishment – if you like call it fulfilment. A willing heart, Oguntade

is more than ready to be part of a just cause. His yearning to offer selfless service to humanity is further illuminated when he said: “I am delighted to be part of this life-changing experience. It is very deserving and I am very committed to it because if you educate a girl, you empower a woman in the process. You inspire a community and you’ve definitely touched a life. I am pleased that as Nigerians in Diaspora we are here all taking part in it.”

You can describe his transition from the judiciary to international diplomacy as dramatic given his age. With a sombre, confident but humble mien, he explained the metamorphosis.

“What I can say? It’s the work of the Lord. The switch has been very smooth because it is a question of service to the country in one sector and moving to another – both of have a substantial relationship. So it has been awesome,” the former Supreme Court justice said modestly.

With a rich past heritage, a dynamic present and a glorious future, Oguntade was born in Epe on March 10, 1940. He began his education at St. Michael’s C.M.S School, Epe, Lagos State – that was between 1946 and 1952. Thereafter, he moved to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School where he had his secondary education between 1953 and 1958. It would appear that the Nigerian ambassador to the UK was destined to belong to the Bench as a professional because when he graduated from Ijebu-Ode, he was employed as a clerk at the High Court of Justice, Ibadan in the then Western Region.

He was there until 1961. After almost three years working as a clerk, Oguntade decided to raise the bar beyond the confines of carrying files in the courtroom. A man of intuition and ingenuity, in September 1961, he travelled to London and there he enrolled at Holborn College of Law for his LL.B., completing the course in 1964 from the University of London.

Eventually, he was called to the Nigerian Bar on the January 15, 1966.

Armed with a degree in law, Oguntade was set to excel. For 14 years, from 1966 to 1980, he was in legal practice. His foray into the Nigerian Bench began in 1980 when he was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Lagos State. Between 1984 and 1986, he was appointed as the chairman of the Lagos State Armed Robbery Tribunal.

In September 1987, he was appointed a justice of the Court of Appeal.

Oguntade’s brilliance and intelligence shone brilliantly as he moved up on the judicial ladder. Between 1987 and 1993, he served as the Enugu Court of Appeal’s justice; later, he was

transferred to the Court of Appeal in Ibadan between 1993 and 1995. Between 1995 and 1998, he was appointed as the presiding justice, Court of Appeal, Jos. That is not all. In 1999, he served as the presiding justice of the Court of Appeal in Lagos until 2002. Then, between 2003 and 2004, Oguntade was the presiding justice of the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

In 2004, Oguntade was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court and served in that capacity for eight years until March 2010 – when he retired from the Bench, having attained the statutory retirement age of 70 years.

A man of high intellectual stature, Oguntade in September 2005, delivered a paper at a conference organised by the International Bar Association in Chicago titled, ‘Barriers to Justice – The Nigerian Experience’. Also, in 2008, he was at the International Symposium on Economic Crime in Cambridge, where he delivered a paper, ‘Fighting Corruption and Money Laundering in Banking’.

His judiciary and intellectual pursuits have earned him different honours at different times. In 2005, he was conferred with the honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2008, he was also honoured with the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of law in Nigeria. The same 2008, he was awarded the “First Anglican Communion National Award for Integrity and Excellence”.

Following his retirement as a judge, Oguntade has remained relevant: he was appointed regularly as an expert witness in international arbitration and civil proceedings abroad. He has also chaired a Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority Appeal Tribunal among other notable appointments. On September 16, 2015, Oguntade was appointed the chancellor of the Lagos State University Governing Council.

At 78, you can argue he still has the energy of a man in his 40s with a sound mind to boot.

“If I attempt to make an answer to that question I will be lying. The secret is the Lord Almighty who has kept and preserved me over the years. I am hale and healthy,” he replied when asked what the secret to his agility and capacity was.

With an undying sense of humour, he urged anyone in doubt about what he does after a hectic day saying: “Come to my house in the evening. You will see me in action. I jog; I run around and do other exercises. This is how I keep fit.”

Oguntade with wife, Modupe at 2018 Commonwealth Fair held at Kessington Town Hall, London… recently Photo: FUNKE OLAODE

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DECEMBER 2, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

High Life

59 with LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

Proposed Bus Conductor Uniform – Will New Lagos Governor Implement or Ignore Initiative?

T

he news was greeted with a lot of pomp and fanfare. Early 2017, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode introduced the Bus Reform Initiative, an ambitious three-year plan aimed at introducing over 5,000 airconditioned buses to replace the regime of Danfo buses in Lagos. Ambode said the Danfo buses, which are mostly old rickety, no longer befit the state’s mega city status.

In line with this resolve to overhaul the state’s commercial transport network, the state government further announced that the ubiquitous, scruffy-looking bus conductors would start wearing uniforms from January 2018.

A top society lady allegedly nicked the mouth-watering deal to produce all the new uniforms for commercial bus drivers and conductors. However, as the date for the take-off of the bus reform scheme

approaches, events around the governor may have put the whole plans in jeopardy.

You would recall that the governor was denied a second term ticket by the All Progressives Congress, APC, leadership in the state.

Thus, some of Ambode’s inner caucus members and concerned citizens are understandably concerned that some of his laudable projects may be discontinued and discarded by the incoming administration. Perhaps to allay such fears, Governor Ambode caused a statement to be issued wherein he assured that the APC governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, would not abandon pending projects. He gave this assurance while inaugurating an ultra-modern lecture theatre donated to the Lagos State University (LASU) by businessman and philanthropist, Remi Makanjuola, recently.

Sanwo-Olu

The Return of Ontario Oil Boss, Walter Wagbatsoma from British Prison

Wagbatsoma

The prison house is no place for an oil magnate, a Nigerian prison to be precise.

While it may scare the commonplace straight, it has the capacity to scare the affluent shitless. It haunts their dreams and rips their sanity to shreds at every

recollection of nights spent in solitary confinement and mornings spent behind tall walls and steel barricades.

Having served time in a British prison, deep dread pervades Walter Wagbatsoma’s heart, as he settles back in Nigeria, the fear of doing time in a Nigerian jail house casts a dark pall above his newly acquired freedom, given the heinous state of the country’s prisons.

Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos High Court, had on January 13, 2017, convicted Walter and sentenced him to a jail term of 10 years alongside his oil firm’s Managing Director (MD), Ada Ugo-Ngali, for a fuel subsidy fraud of N754 million.

The judge had also ordered the refund of the N754m to the Federal Government.

Both Ada and Walter, who is the company chairman, were charged and arraigned before Justice Okunnu on an eight count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The EFCC had on August 1, 2013 arraigned Ada, Wagbatsoma and their company, Ontario Oil and Gas Ltd, accusing them of defrauding the Federal Government of N1.9bn, which they fraudulently obtained as subsidy sum for purportedly importing Premium Motor Spirit into the country.

Walter, who recently arrived in the

country after doing time in a United Kingdom (UK) prison, had landed himself in troubled waters courtesy controversial forex transactions.

An erroneous decision he made in the past mutated to haunt him like an explosion of virulent cells and he was charged in the UK by the Economic Crime Unit of Lincolnshire Police, in connection with a £12 million NHS trusts fraud investigation.

Findings revealed that Walter may have unknowingly purchased “dirty” foreign exchange from an anonymous source through an intermediary in Dubai, United Arab Emirates without proper due diligence on the source of the funds before it was wired into his company’s offshore trading account. Unknown to him, the Forex was part of the NHS trusts fund being investigated in the UK. The fund was later traced to his account as the investigation continued, according to a source.

Now that Walter is back in the country, will he observe his sentence as delivered

by Justice Okunnu? Or will he flee? Or probably appeal the way the Appeal Court upturned a 10-year jail term passed on his partner and the Managing Director of Ontario Oil and Gas, Mrs. Ada Ugo-Ngali, by an Ikeja High Court of Lagos state.

Glo customers bond with Celebrities at ultra-modern Gloworld Outlet Like a necessary angel of earth, Globacom, the telecoms giant, lives for the glory of the industrious. The continental mobile phone network provider, like the proverbial archangel and guardian of mortal dreams, adds value to artistry and protects the interests of the productive. Ask Odunlade Adekola, to actor, Juliet Ibrahim, Ghanaian screen goddess and various other celebrities who are ambassadors of Globacom.

However, following the successful launch of the new outlet on the posh Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, on November 17, 2018, an array of Nollywood, Comedians and music stars were spotted in the shop.

The visit of popular Yoruba actor, Odunlade Adekola on Monday November 20 drew mammoth crowd of admirers and followers. Apparently following his invitation to his fans through his media handle, his fans thronged the venue, taking

selfies, chatting up and generally having fun with their idol.

Earlier, the delectable Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim stormed the iconic business outlet. Juliet also attracted a horde of admirers into the shop. Young, middle-aged men, women fell over themselves for a space to take photos with the pretty actress.

They were followed by music icon Innocent, “Tu Face” Idibia and TV star and actress Funmi Holder who created great excitement at the shop as fans trooped in to just meet and bond with their idols.

The celebrities said they were happy to interact with their fans at such delectable ambience that is so relaxing, soothing and business-focused.

Highly-elated fans took turns to comment on the rare opportunity they had to meet their idols live. Kelly Fundz said: “Thanks for the opportunity”. Samuel Unegbu and

Ayo Yewande commended Globacom for bringing the new Gloworld outlet to their neighbourhood. They are also happy to have the added privilege of hanging out with the stars . FranK Aladinma who stayed almost the whole day taking selfies with Holder and Tu Face could not hide his excitement. “This is fantabulous”, he smiled.

According Globacom, with the new aesthetically appealing shop on Allen Avenue, it is taking customer service to a new level of comfort , convenience and technology-focused, speed and effectiveness.

“We want our customers to do business with us and have fun while they are at it”, the company said.

However, the visit has not ended.

Expected to hit the new iconic, cozy shop next is comedian Gordons who will be entertaining their fans alongside Juliet till Saturday.

The Thing in Femi Otedola’s Blood Billionaire donates expensive gift to University

E

mpathy froths in the blood of Femi Otedola. Like the proverbial noble with a heart of gold, he has mounted yet another dense bridge of mercy to connect bliss to disadvantaged folk.

Last Tuesday, the magnate and proprietor of Forte Oil, donated a building to the Engineering Faculty of Augustine University, Epe. He made the donation in the presence of His Grace Most Revd Dr Alfred Adewale Martins, Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, his loving mother, Lady Doja, among other preeminent Nigerians.

The academic community was ecstatic over the billionaire businessman’s generosity and they didn’t hold back their gratitude at the foundation laying ceremony of the Engineering Faculty.

Despite the profuse thanks that trailed his gift, Otedola remains characteristically humble thus affirming notions of his unabashed humility and graciousness in glory.

The Forte Oil boss is notable for his immeasurable generosity; as he makes remarkable leaps with his enterprise, he matches his exploits with significant acts of kindness.

The same could hardly be said about many of his fellow billionaires.

Otedola, unlike too many of his peers, paved his road to acclaim like the proverbial fortune hunter, who dared the odds and braved through storms, to create eternity from a moment.

His wealth bears the sweet, dazzling glow of empathy and infinity; pundits would say it’s because he worked for it. Even his detractors would acknowledge that he toiled really hard to chance on affluence.

Thus his acceptance as a worthy king of commerce.

It did not come as a surprise that barely a decade after he ventured into the oil and gas business, Otedola emerged as an industry leader, leading older, more established players in the industry by the hand. It was a stormy ride to the top. A foremost employer of labour and invaluable contributor to the African economy, the redoubtable and renowned businessman positions himself as a champion of prosperity and philanthropy. And he loves the good life that the former brings; the selfless service to humanity the latter offers.

Otedola

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The Day Funke Osibodu will Never Forget Why Edo governor disgraced Ex-Union Bank MD Neither beauty nor poise could save Funke Osibodu from rage and disgrace the moment she stepped into Edo Governor, Godwin Obasekiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, last Tuesday. As the broken keel of a ship, crashes and sets adrift, far from the hull of a drowned vessel, Osibodu floundered from Obasekiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office in shame, soon after he ordered her out of his office for â&#x20AC;&#x153;failing to meet obligations to electricity consumers in Edo and throwing the state into darkness for weeks.â&#x20AC;?

The mild drama allegedly played out while the governor was receiving members of the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Power, who were at the Government House on a courtesy visit.

The governor was reportedly surprised to see the BEDC boss among the lawmakers as her name was not on the list of expected guests. Speaking to the delegation after Osibodu had left the gathering, the governor said that the BEDC had continued to fail in collaborating with the state government to provide stable electricity in the state.

Obaseki said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The BEDC has been an obstacle all the way. They will not provide electricity and will not allow you to get alternative sources of power. The state

Osibodu

will not allow it.â&#x20AC;?

That Funke was highly embarrassed is putting it mildly, she was depressed and overwhelmed by shame, according to

eyewitnesses.

The BEDC boss will certainly not forget in a hurry, that sad moment, when she suffered disgrace in the hands of the governor.

Pundits contend that back when she was Managing Director (MD) of Union Bank, Osibodu wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have suffered or endured such disgrace. Osibodu was a star, a deity, whose words became law and the mightiest of men hovered at her doorstep in desperate need of her favour.

Before her recent disgrace, Funke served as CEO and later a director of the holding company of Ecobank Nigeria until she left in 2006. Then she was appointed MD of Union Bank until she left and took the BEDC job. She came to limelight when there was a shake-up in the Nigerian banking industry when five bank CEOs were dismissed on August 13, 2009, and five replacements were named by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

She was chosen to lead the Union Bank of Nigeria, replacing Bartholomew Bassey Ebong. After she left the bank she entered the power industry as the CEO of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company for Benin City, where her husband, Victor, is the Chairman.

Nigerian Formula One Freaks Shun Abu Dhabi Grand Prix A few years ago, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was an annual convergence point for a lot of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bourgeoisies and new money, wealthy public officials, businessmen and private-jet â&#x20AC;&#x201C;cruising oil and gas entrepreneurs. A spectacle like none other, the United Arab Emiratesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; capital lists to the adrenaline-fuelled thrills that are aplenty as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s racing elite go wheel-to-wheel upon the twisting, twenty-one corner circuit. Aside the race, Abu Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grand Prix has celebrity-studded after-parties alongside performances by some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest rock stars.

Thus, whenever it is that time of the year, Abu Dhabi bursts at the seams with

the invasion of this Nigerian moneyed set. In fact, there is hardly anywhere you would visit in the city and not feel their ostentatious presence. They rent out villas and palazzos offering stunning views of the high rises and Marina which they navigate with luxury boats. At the races proper, they hire exclusive stands or buy out premium seats which offer some of the most incredible panoramic views in motorsport. At the end of every day, they storm nite clubs and make it rain with expensive champagnes or throw gaudy parties where they usually have for company some of the finest species of the womenfolk flown from all over the world.

But that was then. The story has changed. In the last couple of years, the

attendance of Nigerians has dwindled.

Now, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is gradually being taken over by that despicable class â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Yahoo Boys â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who have too much illicit cash to burn. On Instagram especially which is their playing ground, the Grand Prix newbies gleefully post pictures and videos of the lavishness the original cash kings would otherwise not let the world see. Posers have been raised in many privileged circles as to what went wrong; why is it being shunned by those who used to swear by the annual visit. The consensus has been the downturn in the Nigerian economy especially since the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration with his flip flop economic policies.

At Jonathanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Book Launch, Aisha Babangida Hits Her Strides Some women are like sapphire, they glow as the brilliant blue gem thus colouring the world with their craft. Some are sassy as teens and cute as amber studs. But beneath the glamour, has she any substance? You are wont to wonder. Some are like coral clasps-pretty yet disposable. Amidst the glitter, Erelu Aisha Babangida is an emerald cut. Whatever you think of her, there is something inspiring about the dark-hued lady. Like Maryam, her late mother, she is compassionate, industrious and tirelessly imaginative.

But unlike her late mother, she channels such ingenuity that even the late Nigerian First Lady was incapable of in her prime.

And those who attended the recent book launch of former President Goodluck Jonathan will tell you that this is the kind of transformation

Erelu Aisha Babangida has undergone.

The tentative woman of yesteryear has vanished like the vapours of a dewy morning. In her place has risen a confident and powerful lady from whom charisma and leadership qualities ooze out like aromatic perfume. She used to stand on the shoulders of giants; now she walks and talks with them as an equal. Erelu Aisha was at the Events Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja venue of the book launch as a representative of her father, the former head of state Ibrahim Babangida. Quite a few eyebrows were raised at her appearance as many thought the former president would send one of his former lieutenants instead. By the end of the star-studded event, not only had Aisha stolen the show, she also earned the admiration and respect of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s titans.

Aisha Babangida

Orange Drugs Boss, Tony Ezenna, Completes Ikoyi Mansion

T

ony Ezennaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mansion looms like a gift of Eden; a real life imagery of fabled El Dorado.

Amid its bewitching tract, a ďŹ rst time visitor may get swarmed by the plush aďŹ&#x201E;uence in full display. Indeed, the billionaire magnateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mansion is a testament to class; its exterior is ornamented with massive casts of pillars and archs.

Inside, the ediďŹ ce ďŹ&#x201A;aunts quaint decor, embroidered textile and expensive artefacts.

So impressive is his mansion that frequent callers and passersby have uncompromisingly enthused, that it trumps the modest home of All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Bola Tinubu, from the basement to the roof.

And as if to fulďŹ ll the yearnings of his friends, family and associates, Tony, over the weekend, threw open his gates to his loved ones as he opened and dedicated his new mansion in a wellattended house-warming ceremony.

Tony, during the house-warming gave access to his guests, to see the luxurious interior of his dream home. The eyepopping mansion is strategically located on Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, sitting comfortably amid neighbouring houses, like a prized gem among inferior stones.

Among dignitaries that graced his home were the incumbent Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, Senators Andy Ubah, Dino Melaye, Hope Uzodinma among others. Tony Ezenna has an estimated net worth of $1 billion dollars and the source of his wealth remains his known drug company, Orange Drugs Limited, which he established in 1998. Tony, a native of Ideato North in Imo State, is a known entrepreneur who began his business with a family chemist shop in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.

Today, the rest is history as he has become a billionaire following several years of struggle and his never-say-die spirit to make it.

Ezenna

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HIGHLIFE

Beware of Bad Company! Oba Akiolu Chides Babajide Sanwo-Olu Lagos monarch declares support for APC guber candidate How Gov Ambode’s loss became Sanwoolu’s gain If bad company truly corrupts good manners, then the man who fails to shun the lure and ravage of inordinate company, may get buried under the weight and intrigues of disruptive vice.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate in Lagos, will do himself a lot of good by paying good mind to such ageless wisdom.

Ask the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.

The monarch recently sounded the note of warning to Sanwoolu, during a courtesy visit of the APC candidate to his palace at Iga Iduganran, Isale Eko, in Lagos.

According to Oba Akiolu, Sanwoolu should watch the company he keeps because many people are in politics in pursuit of selfish interest.

You couldn’t have forgotten so soon that Oba Akiolu didn’t initially support his candidacy of Sanwo-Olu because of the monarch’s soft spot for the outgoing governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, who his stepson works for. However, the monarch has finally thrown his weight behind APC guber candidate, who he stylishly gave an ear-pulling warning recently. “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu started a very good work in

Lagos and fought for the interest of Lagos.

Babatunde Fashola also did very well and Akinwumi Ambode who is presently in is also doing well. When you get to office by the grace of God, you must carry on with the good work of your predecessors and take Lagos to a higher level of development.

I will always be around to offer you good advice. Everyone knows that I will always say the truth to anyone,” Akiolu said, thus declaring his support for the new kid on the block. Indeed, Ambode’s loss is SanwoOlu’s gain. Power and loyalty are transient, let the wise take heed.

Again, Charly Boy’s Lesbian Daughter, Dewy, Locks Lips With Partner, Posts Flirtatious Pictures Online

Dewy-Oputa

Charles Oputa aka Charly Boy, understands notoriety like the back of his palm. Having assimilated its wild nuances, he intones it remarkably well, thus his penchant for being in the news, for controversial reasons.

In the wake of the tumult that heralded his ‘Our mumu don do’ political movement, Charly Boy has found his purpose in yet another controversy: the sexuality of his selfconfessed lesbian daughter, Dewy.

Soon after Dewy revealed her sexual inclinations on social media, by publishing cozy photographs she took with her lover, her father has declared his unflinching support for her, claiming that he has accepted her and Nigerians should learn to accept her and live with it.

According to the popular Area Father, in a

message addressed thus: “To those going gaga over my Princess Dewy’s post. Hear This. The best thing about being true to yourself is that nobody can insult you by telling you what you have just told them. Acceptance has to come from within. I am blessed with beautiful Children and grandchildren. Love em All. Thank you, God.” But that is hardly the whole story, the gist now, is that Dewy Oputa has taken her declaration a notch higher. She recently took to Instagram to share steamy photos that she took with her partner, SJ. In one of the photos, the lovebirds were pictured locking lips while posing at the Swan Lake State Park in Waldo County, Maine.

Predictably, Dewy’s post set blogosphere on fire and her father, true to his nature, applauded her courage, urging critics to pocket their gall.

Enter Dapo ‘The Dream’ Abiodun…

Professionals Unite For APC’s Guber Candidate Launch DAAG support unit en route 2019 Excitement permeates Ogun’s ravaged streets as you read. This is because a hero emerges in Dr. Dapo Abiodun. Large segments of the electorate dream of having Abiodun as their governor; they believe that with the Chairman of Heyden Oil at the helm, the satin gown of hope will no longer be a myth and the dark, hideous bloom of death will desert their doorsteps.

Abiodun is no doubt the angel of their dreams, the hero of their nightmares and the candidate whose administration would liberate their trapped souls from the incumbent government’s infinite prison.

Spurred by the promise of having the billionaire entrepreneur as Ogun’s next governor, an awareness organisation known as Dapo Abiodun Alliance Group (DAAG) has emerged with a mandate to champion the election of the Heyden Oil boss ahead of the 2019 governorship election in Ogun State.

DAAG, inspired by Dapo Abiodun’s reputation and enduring value, has been formed to promote his political ideology and seeks support for his candidacy. The non-profit and self-funded group, whose membership is drawn from diverse professional backgrounds committed to entrenching the culture of good governance through exceptional political leadership epitomised by Abiodun, has as its cardinal programme, the empowerment and mass enlightenment to assist voters make informed decision for electoral fortune.

According to the spokesman of the group, “We have emerged out of a desire to galvanise massive support for Dr. Abiodun to become the next Governor of Ogun State in 2019.

“We are a self-funded, non-governmental organisation, non-profit group whose membership is drawn from diverse professional backgrounds committed to entrenching the culture of good governance through exceptional political leadership epitomised by Dr. Dapo Abiodun.

“We are not oblivious of the fact that the task is arduous. However, we firmly believe that it is a surmountable challenge that requires the collective efforts of people of good conscience, whose love and passion for a more prosperous Ogun State is not in doubt,” he said.

It is within the purview of the aforementioned and the necessity to take Ogun State to the next level that DAAG was formally unveiled last Friday, November 30th. at Olusegun Obasanjo Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, to signal the declaration of support for Dr. Dapo Abiodun and the beginning of a paradigm shift from a culture that celebrates mediocrity to one that elevates excellence.

DAAG has lined up initiatives and activities to shore up electoral value of Dr. Abiodun.

The unveiling ceremony, which had some of Nigeria’s best practitioners in the entertainment industry in attendance, witnessed the unveiling of the group’s campaign bus, the launch of

Abiodun

DAAG-sponsored campaign jingle and ‘Adura Odun from Dapo Abiodun’, a special prayer audio rendition in compact discs and also the distribution of premium shirts, school bags, exercise books, school feeding bottles and other souvenirs.

Oba Akiolu

Businessman, Jimoh Ibrahim Moves Second Wife To Dubai That Jimoh Ibrahim has opened a new corporate office in Dubai to oversee his overseas operations, in no longer a hotbutton story. With his level of investment in Dubai he has been given the status of an Investor. In Dubai, he owns a five-star hotel and a few commercial properties. He is also big in the real estate business of Dubai. He also owns a lovely mansion in an exclusive area of Dubai where all their super rich citizens live.

Yes, there is no gainsaying he has been through a lot in the last few years. While his loved ones rue his misfortunes in the political and business terrains, detractors of the dandy businessman blame him for the series of tragic spells he suffered in his race for acclaim and self-actualisation. Jimoh has been through a lot. He contested for the Ondo governorship seat and lost. Following his loss, mischief makers alleged that things got so bad that he had to sell off some of his petrol stations at giveaway prices.

But love or hate him, Jimoh has made his mark in the business world.

If you would forgive and overlook his gregariousness, you would understand that at over 50, he has done very well for himself. Here is the good news; Jimoh has moved his second wife, Biodun Jimoh, to Dubai and her three children. Though his first wife, Modupe is still in Nigeria overseeing her own business concerns.

One of the major sources of joy of the former billionaire is Biodun, his beloved second wife and eternal soul mate. For a man with the world at his feet, literally, earthly things shouldn’t necessarily excite him. But, close family sources say Biodun is no mere trophy wife to Jimoh. She is celestial, almost surreal even – the one who can wish away the crippling stress of running a conglomerate with just the soothing poetry of her voice. And he treats her as such. Beyond her ravishing, ageless beauty, Biodun is said to similarly worship the ground her husband treads; gives him peace of him which eludes many a man and shortens their lifespan; and does his bidding like she was born to do it without being obsequious. Like the first wife, Modupe, Biodun, a mother of three children, is also an unassuming person who can hardly be seen party-hopping. Except it is a family party or those of close friends and relatives, count her out.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Between Abbah Folawiyo and Florence Ita Giwa

A

ccording to Nicole Richie, true friends are like diamonds - bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style.

This is exactly how to describe the friendship between Abba Folawiyo and Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, two ageless women of substance.

With them, there can’t be any better definition of true friendship.

They are like two bodies in one soul; and they, no doubt, understand the spirit and letter of friendship. Their friendship, to those who have been following their stories, has stood the test of times. And you won’t be exaggerating if you describe it as friends made in heaven.

In some sense, they have a unique way of appreciating each other. As proof of their abiding love, trust and understanding, they have been together for several decades.

A source disclosed that one would never go to any high-octane party in Lagos or outside Lagos without the other one.

“Though they sometimes have different opinions on certain issues and even moments of disagreement, they never seek a third party intervention in their affairs,” a source said.

Folawiyo, called Sisi Abba, is a showstopper any time, any day. If you are not drawn to her commanding dress sense, you will be stopped in your track owing to her graceful steps.

On her part, Senator Ita-Giwa, a politician and philanthropist, is widely acknowledged to have positively impacted her society. She is recognized as one of the most famous women in the Nigerian social and political circles. She has remained relevant even after many years of leaving government.

Saraki, Abdulfatah at War? No one in Nigeria would feign ignorance of the cordial relationship between the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his political godson, the Governor of Kwara State, Ahmed Abdulfatah.

The governor was nurtured into political relevance by the nation’s third citizen when he was also a governor in the state.

At the outset, the Senate President reportedly fought his late father, Dr Olusola Saraki, for backing Gbemi Saraki, his sister, instead of Abdulfatah. The older Saraki did not recover from the shock till he breathed his last.

However, it seems there is no love lost between Saraki and the governor now in view of the current developments in the state.

It was gathered that the senatorial ticket that was earlier given to Abdulfattah, which is said to have solidified his influence and rating in the Saraki structure, has just been yanked off his hand.

This, it was further learnt, is not unconnected with the inability of the governor to handle the threat facing the Saraki political structure in his base.

Many couldn’t hold back their surprise weeks ago when Saraki suffered what many described as a shameful defeat in the by-election for Ekiti/ Oke Ero/ Isin/ Irepodun Federal Constituency.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was floored by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Kwara South

Saraki

Abdulfatah

Senatorial district, where the governor had emerged the candidate of the PDP. A source described the development as an “abomination and a major blow”, which Saraki couldn’t swallow.

“This has halted the governor’s march to the Senate,” the source disclosed.

Another source hinted that many of Saraki’s loyalists voted against PDP because of the senatorial ticket that was hijacked from the incumbent, Abdulrafiu Ibrahim, and given to the governor.

Saraki was convinced that the refusal of Abdulrafiu’s sympathisers to work

for the PDP owing to the fact that he was denied the senatorial ticket resulted in the shameful loss in the by-election.

“This has further exposed the Governor as a mere political feather weight in the Senatorial constituency he wanted to take charge of.

“Saraki opted to appease the Abdulrafiu camp by taking away the Senatorial ticket from Ahmed. ‘’Naturally, it did not go down well with the Governor and he is planning his own political strategy that will shock the Senate President,’’ another source stated.

Zaynab Otiti Gears Up for Another Marriage

Otiti

It takes a strong heart to love, but it takes a stronger heart to continue to love after it is hurt, so says a popular quote.

The foregoing describes beautiful Zainab Otiti, ex-wife of His Royal Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, as she is said be considering giving marriage another shot.

A source disclosed that the lightcomplexioned lady, who has been shuttling the Middle East and Nigeria, is warming up to say ‘I do’ to her new heartthrob, almost a year after her marriage to the Ife monarch crashed.

Though our source failed to disclose the details of the lucky dude, investigations revealed that she has known the man for a long time. But they parted ways when she was married to Ooni of Ife. Their paths,

however, crossed again after she left the palace.

It will be recalled that the Ooni got married to another woman, Shilekunola Moronke Naomi Oluwaseyi, in October, a development that has shut up naysayers, who have made him a butt of criticisms over his seemingly prolonged single status.

Shortly after this, the beautiful lady congratulated her ex-husband on her Instagram page to show that she has fully forgiven him, despite the humiliation she suffered during the divorce saga.

The developments may have proven that she has finally put the doleful experience behind her and moved on.

“They are yet to make the relationship official for obvious reasons. But they plan to do that very soon,” a source stated.

Bianca Ojukwu’s Outburst

Ita-Giwa and Abbah Folawiyo

Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Biafra leader, Dim Emeka Ojukwu, is beautiful and elegant. She is also blessed with good carriage.

Maybe because of these beautiful attributes and her good mien all the times, many have underrated her, believing she can’t be brutal when offended.

Society Watch gathered that the former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain is currently in a fury, following her September shameful defeat at the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA,

by Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu for Anambra South Senatorial District.

Since the shocking defeat, the exbeauty queen has shown her other side, as she has been spitting fire from her mouth like a dragon. In fact, she has vowed not to go down without giving a fight.

It was disclosed that since her aspiration for the Senate was cut short by Ukachukwu, the woman has been calling for the head of the party chairman, Chief Victory Oye and other members of the party, calling them unprintable names over what she termed as ‘betrayal’.

However, the outburst is not going down well with the party chieftains as they have vowed to deal with her. Our source disclosed that the threat is not giving her any sleepless night, though.

The sixth child of former Anambra governor, Christian Onoh, was educated in Enugu and Yorkshire.

The lawyer, businesswoman and the winner of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 1988 Pageant is best known as the first African to win Miss Intercontinental.

Bianca Ojukwu

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DECEMBER 2, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

SOCIETY WATCH

Billionaire Businessman, Ayo Karim’s Baptism Of Fire No doubt, billionaire businessman and Managing Director of Costain West Africa, Ayodeji Karim, has made a name for himself in Nigeria and beyond.

His antecedents over the years precedes him anywhere he goes and he is considered one of the most visionary corporate leaders in the country, with several awards in his kitty.

But the Oyo State-born businessman was given a baptism of fire recently when he made known his intention to contest the number job of the state, through the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC. The top-notch businessman was shown that the business climate is a different ball game from the murky waters of Nigeria’s politics, as he was quickly forced out of the race after he had been literally milked dry.

As gathered by Society Watch, his entry into the race was not without controversies, as many alleged that he betrayed his billionaire brother, Kola Karim, who had earlier shared his interest for the same position with him.

He was said to have quickly thrown

his hat into the ring, after his meeting with his brother. Though his loyalists were quick to deny this, he later suffered humiliation at the party primaries.

A source also hinted that the ex-British soldier was advised by some of the state party leaders, but because he was blinded by his over-bloated ego, it was too late for him to realize that he was a mere paper tiger in the political setting.

“He has been dealt with, politically and left in the cold, ‘a source added.

He had his primary education at St. Georges Boys’ School, Falomo, Ikoyi Lagos and his secondary education at the Metropolitan College, Isolo, Lagos before proceeding to South Thames College, Wandsworth, London, where he bagged his National Diploma in Electro/ Mechanical Sciences.

A graduate of Materials Engineering and Engineering Design/Manufacturing from the University of Wales, Swansea, United Kingdom, he has a record of increasing operational efficiencies, reducing bottlenecks and downtime through Time Quality Management (TQM).

Fayose’s Late Sister, Bimpe Sorinolu’s Memory Forgotten?

Karim

Ireti Asemota’s Style Ireti Asemota, wife of Sunny Asemota, an auto merchant, is a fashionista of repute.

Now in her 70s, she has been ruling the fashion and style scene for decades, and there seems to be no sign of her being eclipsed by the younger ones.

Call her an ageless beauty, and you will be saying the truth. This septuagenarian still commands respect in the social scene with her dress sense and you cannot but turn your head in admiration anytime she makes a public appearance.

She floats well in either casual or elegant dress. Her dresses are timeless and she keeps a tab on modern trends without necessarily impressing anyone.

She exudes simplicity and fits perfectly into the description of a radiant Queen!

Society Watch gathered that her trendy lifestyle and fashionable aura, among other sterling qualities, have placed her in the group of the most stylish women in Nigeria.

Indeed, many younger ones look up to her for direction in fashion and style and pray for a flawless body like hers.

Asemota

Access Bank MD, Herbert Wigwe’s Passion Today, one of the fledgling nongovernmental organisations, NGOs, to reckon with in the country is the HOW Foundation, the brainchild of Herbert Wigwe, MD/CEO, Access Bank of Nigeria Plc. The national and futuristic global organisation, since inception, has been sharing the same passion and drives around malaria, prostate cancer and youth development with leadership and mentorship programmes.

It has also been initiating various seminars and workshops aimed at providing youths with support to push them closer to achieving greatness in their career choices.

The mercurial banker enjoys being in the company of children, kids particularly, whom he uses to serve as a leisure provider in his spare time. And this has always been what amazes many in their midst.

Described as a banking guru, he understands the rudiments of the business landscape enough to tame the odds and has been doing just that.

As a chief executive, particularly one dealing with intense pressures, he relies on many things, perspective and context, strategic counsel and courage of conviction and loyalty, which he guards jealously.

He wears his badge of humility in the shape of a subtly hued bow tie, thus affirming that he is a gentleman.

Wigwe

Family, Friends Celebrate Caverton Group Chair, Remi Makanjuola

Makanjuola

Chief Remi Makanjuola, Chairman, Caverton Group, is a successful businessman by all standards.

But in spite of his wealth, fame and influence, he detests loud celebration of any sorts.

But penultimate Saturday, he was forced out of his normal quiet life when he joined the league of the septuagenarians.

The businessman was celebrated by his

equally rich children, particularly, Niyi Makanjuola of Visionscape fame.

He ranks prominently on the upper rung of Nigeria’s elite ladder of successful and wealthy businessmen.

Very industrious and enterprising, some of his business interests include Caverton Helicopters established in September 2002 as a charter, shuttle and maintenance company.

Four years ago, on February 13, 2014, Bimpe Sorinolu, a sister to the former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, breathed her last.

Her death, after a protracted battle with cancer, had, quite expectedly, sent her family, friends, fans and beneficiaries into prologued mourning.

The feeling of anguish was not unexpected, especially because her earthly sojourn was defined by struggles and unfulfilled dreams.

Besides, she was unwittingly enmeshed in controversies.

A survivalist, she worked as a cab driver on the streets of London. As if that was not enough, she ventured into the business of fashion design, where she also made a name for herself as seamstress of note. She, indeed, shocked the world when she reportedly singlehandedly designed the first house she lived with her husband, Dapo Sorinolu- a creative effort that wowed many trained architects.

Call her a restless spirit, and you would not be wrong. Her lifestyle, to many around her, was like a riddle that could not be easily cracked. She believed God had given her almost limitless or abilities, which must be deployed to good use. Perhaps, this was the impetus that goaded her into music and acting at different times in her life.

But it came to a stage when she went into self-discovery and realised that she needed to give more of her God-given resources to humanity; thereby, she launched Bisochin-Bimpe Sorinolu Charity Initiative, which saw her traverse the length and breadth of Nigeria attending to the destitute.

If no one still remembers her magnanimity or creativity, it is doubtful if anyone would have forgotten the fierce disagreement she had with her governor-brother.

The face-off allegedly affected her marriage. While the feud lasted, she suffered a lot, as she was allegedly abandoned by her husband, who eventually married her policewoman friend, even when she was still hovering between life and death.

Though she tried to settle with her husband, for a possible re-union with the children, she was rebuffed.

Sadly, three years after her death, nothing spectacular has been done to keep her memories alive. Society Watch gathered that her mission house, where she catered for the destitute and the less privileged children, is now a shadow of itself. Aside the first year remembrance that was reportedly not well put together, the family seems to have forgotten the heroic deeds of this super woman. The third anniversary of her passing on came without any celebration or significant event in her memory.

However, if the deceased could turn in her grave and look back, she would be at peace, knowing that her four children - Damola, Oyinkansola, Monjolaoluwa and Mojoyinola - have been re-united with their father.a

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

Boko Haram – Tears for the Fatherland You know I have a sneaky feeling that these tears will keep flowing for a long time to come. Last week just as this column was going to press, snippets of videos and commentaries started emerging showing the massacre of our soldiers by the renegades who claim they are fighting for what I don’t know. You know me I don’t have the heart for these things so it took me a while to gather enough courage to open these videos. By the time I opened it, I could only pray that the Nigerian Army position on these videos not being totally accurate is true. My people what I saw was really gruesome. Our soldiers were killed almost without a fight. At this time, I do not think it is correct for us to blame one another, sharing the videos without considering the toll it would take on the families of these fallen heroes. One post I saw was that of someone who claimed that one of the fallen soldiers was his dad.

I think it is really time for much more than

FATIMA ZARA SALEH – THE AMAZON AWAKES

Fatima used to be my school mother.

You know the tall beautiful damsel you will be seeing in your childhood dreams and really cannot do anything about. So I settled for the next best thing, making her my school mother. She was a strong type who did not suffer fools and I was a fool. A fool for her. Although we were classmates before I repeated, her beauty made me easily bow and accept her leadership. Well it wasn’t only me for she was made a prefect in recognition of her sterling leadership qualities. She was a marvel to behold in her well-kept starched uniform, a straight gait and her ability to issue orders and demand obedience.

She stood out in school and emerged one of the most respected perfects and seniors. No wonder she has emerged ticket holder for one of the major parties seeking to represent her people within the Kala Balgem Bama and Ngala Federal Constituency. Her people recognizing her sterling qualities especially in the way that she has stood by them in the heat of the insurgency have decided to push her to the National Assembly in the bid for better representation. Guys, Fatima is the type of youthful tornado needed in the system.

She is fearless o and very erudite. You should spend just five minutes with this one and you will see what I am talking about. Now this is what we are talking about, not that Major Al-something.

EMMANUEL UDOM -I AM ON THE WAY! Etubom, mbok nsuk ndi, wait for me, I’m on the way. What!? Five APC people want to impeach you? Where?

In that Uyo, how come? Mbok, wait I am coming o. I hope traffic at Redeemed Camp and Ore will not delay my arrival.

Nobody can touch you o. I am telling you, nobody! Five people to overturn the

Emmanuel

sober reflections and a strong desire to do something about the seeming helplessness we have found ourselves as a people. This thing started quite early during the OBJ government I think, and then continued almost unabatedly during the Jonathan era and one of the strong reasons they gave us for asking us to support this Buhari was the fact that he had military experience, citing the now mythical bravery at the Lake Chad corridor as strong reasons to believe that he will ‘do something’.

Today, we are being confronted with this kind of carnage? It is really annoying. My suggestion is for us to either surrender and give them what they want if this will stop this killing spree or really do something about this. Whatever decision we want to take, this must really stop. No more cosmetic approach of summoning service chiefs and expressing shock. Which kind shock na? Shock will not do anything o.

Baba do something.

Buhari

Osinbajo – This is Not True?

I have just seen a report with the highly respected Vice President, the great Professor Osinbajo quoted as saying that the problem with government is that there are no honest people there. Not true, I no gree o. There are plenty honest people in government. You nko? Are you not honest? You are very honest and you are even a pastor so your honesty is not of this world. But what are we still seeing? Wayo government. My lord no be honesty, na lack of resolve to do the right thing even when that right thing is staring you in the face. You, for me remain an abiding contradiction - your ability and willingness to work this muddy pitch in church white garments and not expecting to be stained. I once wrote an article asking how you managed while serving a Lagos State government that was riddled with a ‘funny’ image as a result of the many ‘transactions’ that went under in the very strategic position you held. Today you are doing the same thing and looking like you would escape the reputational damage that would have destroyed a lesser being. My lord, I do not even think we need honest people who do not have capacity but will go and sit down there and be doing honesty while 2million people have lost their jobs, while Foreign direct Investment is freezing out, while

Osinbajo

infrastructure is decaying and while our soldiers are being killed off like chickens.

Sir, we need structure, firm institutions, visionary leadership and a huge dose of centric patriotism. You know what I mean. Who honesty epp? Bring the dishonest people who will work abeg.

wish of the people? Na lie. You see, they have looked at your background as an Aje butter banker and have underestimated your resolve to be firm and a true leader of the people and I thank God that you have been able to repel this move. Nothing should go against due process or how else would we strengthen our institutions and ensure the will of the people is upheld. If

the APC people really have strong reasons to push for your impeachment, there are laid down procedures and rules to be followed to achieve that, instead of this usual jankara manner we like to follow o.

We must fight this ineptitude and ensure that we send a strong signal to the system that we are ready to uphold truth and justice. This jungle manner of doing things,

Akpabio

Aregbesola

Osinbajo

jumping up and down like chimpanzees and causing violence and carnage to achieve shallow political goals must be discouraged and stamped out with great might. I stand with the very good people of my home state as we say no to tyranny and debauchery and yes to the rule of law.

If we have to impeach Udom, let’s do it, but according to laid down procedures and that is why I am on my way to Uyo to stand with the governor at the mountain top and proclaim the sweet song of liberty as we build a strong wall around the great and mighty people of Akwa Ibom. Mbok, Your Excellency, all this my shout is not for nothing o, I hope there will be Afang and Fufu with palm wine waiting for me o. please let them put periwinkle, and nsad iyak, so that I can fight well. When I get to Onitsha I will call so they can start warming the soup, please no microwave o. The Duke likes it fresh and natural, we are nearing Ojota. Kai, LASTMA has caught me oooooooo. These APC people o. Lastmaaaaaaaa!.

AREGBESOLA – WHAT IS THERE TO “ENJOY”?

My bearded ex-governor said he had missed his wife for the eight years he was in government and chasing the Guinness Book of world records as the leading non-salary-paying government in the world. My lord no mind me. You are my friend jo although I like throwing light jabs at you. You see I really do not believe that you stayed eight years without entering the other room. Is that possible? Me I can’t stay one day o. I will have headache, but let’s even just agree for the sake of this write-up that you truly did not have what Fela used to call bend bend-sleep in all those years, then you have to be careful o as you attempt to jump in. This thing is not easy like that o, things have gone past the place you left it o. You have to take it very slowly my lord

Tinubu

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DECEMBER 2, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

LOUD WHISPERS

Blac Chyna

if not, na stretcher you go use come back.

I think small research should be in place, go on the Internet, reach me privately to recommend some very strong sites where you would see some exciting new things like positions, toys and the like. Also in that room you will drop politics o. You will not be yabbing Ambode there o or be praise-singing Asiwaju. You will have to concentrate on the task which would include tremendous focus to get the flag staff ready to sing the national anthem.

You will also have to do some physical exercises like jogging for like 30 minutes, eat goro and tiger nuts before you are ready. Don’t worry you have my phone numbers if you encounter any problems just reach out and I will guide you through the paces till you achieve your momentum. Kai, sorry o I did not know you had subjected yourself through all that deprivation, no wonder things were like that in Osun. Anyways all that is in the past, if you ask me, I think you should spend the next eight years in the other room catching up. Don’t worry you have done enough damage- sorry, contributed enough to national discuss. Well done, thank you and God bless. Bye.

Ganduje

Olajuwon Obasanjo

Mbok, which Al- Mustapha?

I am really looking for him o. They say he wants to be President and I ask, of which country? They say he has emerged presidential candidate of one party like that and even started printing posters. Now you see, my very good friend who shares a lot of common ideology and values with me Chief Robert Opara has emerged his running mate after attempting the Imo State governorship under another party I cannot remember right now. You see the small wahala there which is not even a wahala is the fact that my friend is trying to appeal to my emotions to support this candidacy. I just dey look am, he dey talk the right things, dey toast me like say he is toasting a babe and even came out with a statement stating very clearly that the Duke of Shomolu should support this ticket.

My people, like a sweet-light skinned damsel being proposed to by a Robert

Mugabe type, I say a big NO! When they talk about democracy being about freedom of choices and giving everybody an opportunity and right to vote or be voted for, they did not mean Mustapha. This person has no democratic credentials, this person’s pedigree leaves much to be desired and much more importantly, this person has not done anything since he bestrode the system like a colossus with clay balls to show that he has adopted any democratic mores or that he is repentant of the excesses he was accused of to justify putting himself forward. Instead what we have seen is an arrogant and loony attempt at justification hedged on a faulty premise of obeying orders.

Abeg, Chief Opara, I no follow you for this one no vex, I no go fit sleep.

Come back make we organize Afang summit if there is nothing else to do.

This one na colossal waste of time.

HYPOCRISY THAT IS BLAC CHYNA OK, let me confess that I am conflicted and this would sound like ‘bad belle’ but if I no talk who go talk? You all know I have been running from pillar to post looking for sponsorship for my play, OBA ESHUGBAYI, with little or no traction.

Over 1,000 letters have been sent out and one year after, I dey go borrow money to do the show. So you can imagine my shock when I woke up to the news that a prominent beverage firm with a major factory and office in the Oregun area was amongst the people bringing this international ‘model’ to the country with an appearance fee of about N10m.

I cannot lie o. I went down on my knees and prayed bad prayer for these people o. So this stripper, model and all-round good girl is what we need in the country and to add insult, she is coming to sell bleaching cream. Kai, there is still God o.

So what values is she coming to propagate, what will our young girls learn from this caricature except how to glide down stripper poles at the behest of lecherous old men? So a firm can put its logo on that poster and openly throw its brand equity at such debauchery when we have strong projects with cultural significance and values begging for attention? I can never understand this country o. This one is not Buhari again o. This one is us o. Well, we will keep pushing and standing tall. Let them be bringing strippers. And where will that lead us? Yes I have bad belle and it is really paining me as I am watching 150 youths rehearsing and dancing their hearts out in hunger and looking up to me to find the resources to water their dreams and aspirations. Maybe I should go to their Oregun office and strip. It just might do the trick. That will be the day, Duke of Shomolu the stripper. Make I go shave my

Olasupo Shasore

that people like Doyin Okupe and my estate chairman have found themselves in the same embarrassing situation OBJ has found himself. But it is all good for our democracy as it allows for debate. You see my cousin -Uncle Ekot, we call him uncle because the man old pass me, once kicked his son in the balls simply because that one was supporting Man United against his favourite team, Arsenal. The law in the house was that everybody under the roof was an automatic Arsenal fan and during Arsenal matches the family must gather in the living room in their Arsenal jerseys to support their team to victory including the long-suffering wife. So this day which I happened to visit, Arsenal then under Arsene Wenger was playing their usual rubbish and my cousin’s mood was really getting foul each passing minute. And then the unthinkable happened, Man United scored and his first son, a graduate of Petroleum Engineering and serving in an oil company whose head office is in our village and who most likely is the one who bought the TV sef did not know when he jumped up and screamed goal even in his Arsenal jersey. He did not see the slap, which was followed with very ferocious kicks and an order to pack out from the house which I think the boy built. Mbok, laugh nearly kill me, but could not dare it. It took the village council to bring the boy back home because of yeye Arsenal o. Mbok come and imagine if Juwon was my cousin’s son, let me leave the rest to your imagination. you see why OBJ is the greatest living Nigerian still walking around half-naked with the boy.

OLASUPO SHASORE – YOU ARE A GREAT MAN

Al- Mustapha

leg first. Kai, Nigeria!

GANDUJE – BRING THE MONEY My brother, don’t mind the EFCC or all these people who are rejecting your money abeg. When they were paying you courtesy call after that video we saw, what were they expecting? Were they expecting you to just shake their hands and give them kunu or goro as welcoming gift? You sef no try, what were you even thinking making that kind of donation?

Please where is the money now? Come and donate it here in Shomolu. People need to go to school and feed themselves.

Stop playing to the gallery, it is not working. The hoopla around that video is not yet down, your State Assembly is investigating you and the people are still very upset about the issue of which we have not seen a credible explanation from you and you are now going to make a donation to an institution that would most likely investigate you or should I

say statutorily, is expected to investigate you and recommend your prosecution or otherwise? How does that even look, you no get advisers? Please even if they are not advising you well, can’t you advise yourself too? Please leave me, I am irritated. Ganduje ko ganduje ni.

OLAJUWON OBASANJO – SOME MOTHERS DO HAVE ‘EM I watched his visit to the President in support of his reelection. I have also just seen footage of this great guy hugging his papa, the legendary OBJ at a game of squash with a shirtless Baba. All I can say at this point is that I have great respect for this man. His courage to take a stand against his dad’s position and still be able to live to hug the man and share a plate of Gbegiri after it all stands him out as a person of interest. You see that is the beauty of democracy, the ability to look at issues dispassionately and take a position.

Juwon has become an inspiration such

I was with your very lovely wife, Mrs Shasore, and she kept referring to you as Mr. Shash. Mbok, the way she mentioned the name in such an affectionate and sweet manner I could see that she still has an abiding love and faith in you. That is what you get when you are an accomplished man. Your wife will just be loving you and be proud to be associated with you like Mrs Shasore who could not even hide the fact that her love for you was still enduring. So Mr. Shash…. Agh that is me looking for trouble, don’t mind me o. I hear that you have accepted to write the preface to my new work, which is a wonderful collection of images garnered from the two showings of my play, ISALE EKO and shot by my close friend and highly talented photographer, Bobby. I remain eternally grateful as I am sure your contribution judging from your pedigree will make the book a great reference point historically and otherwise. Thank you so much but first what is the secret – how come you are still holding madam’s affection all through the years? Please share mbok. My own madam calls me JOE and you should see the way she shouts it especially when PHCN bill comes. She will just shout JOEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Kai. Mr, Shash.. should we expect a book on this topic in the near future? Thank you egbon.

66

THISDAYt 46/%": %&$&.#&3 ċ ċĉĊđ

THISDAYt SUNDAY DECEMBER 2, 2018

67

ARTS & REVIEW

AT ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY, COAL CITY BOOK CONVENTION TAKES STOCK PAGE 70

A

PUBLICATION

02.12.2018

A VOCAL CHAIN OF MUSICAL POSSIBILITIES

Guchi with Teuta Nicolet

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

69

ʜ ˺˺

A VOCAL CHAIN OF MUSICAL POSSIBILITIES Ă&#x;Ă?Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C; Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?ËŞĂ? Ă?ĘĽĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018; Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x153; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x2013;Ă?Ă Ă?Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x201C;Ă? ĂĄĂ&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2013;ĂŁ Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x152;ĂŁ Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x2039; Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x153;Ă?ËŞĂ? Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x161; Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013;Ë&#x203A; Okechukwu Uwaezuoke Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x161;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17E;Ă?

"I

'm not a strict classical musician,â&#x20AC;?

Guchi Kest Egbunine, a. k. a. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chief Tenorâ&#x20AC;?, informs the audience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My friends know that.â&#x20AC;?

His not being â&#x20AC;&#x153;a strict classical musicianâ&#x20AC;? is indeed the whole point of the Vocal Chain Concert Tour, whose Lagos edition has drawn aficionados to the Agip Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre in Onikan, Lagos.

Well, this is news to many! Especially, to those who are oblivious of the fact that the concert tour â&#x20AC;&#x201C; called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tour de Vocalsâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is on its fourth year, having started in 2014. Wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the 2007 University of Nigeria graduate, who also holds a diploma in singing and practical musicianship from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), London, weaned on the classical music genre from his teenage years? Besides, even his impressive tenor voice has previously earned him roles in operas composed by such famous names as Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Gilbert and Sullivan, among others.

By the time of his address to the audience, the concertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first segment is close to winding up. His captive audience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; consisting of both expatriates and Nigerians cutting across all generational splits and societal strata â&#x20AC;&#x201C; had sat through his endeavour to make the sublime musical genre more intelligible to an uninitiated public and had, at the instance of the emcees Julius Amakor and ATM, listened to the audio of his soon-to-be-released single, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miserereâ&#x20AC;?.

Talking about his â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miserereâ&#x20AC;?, it is sufficiently reminiscent of the Gregorio Allegriâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original composition for the Sistine Chapel Choir in 1638 intended for the Holy Week and the version by Amadeus W. Mozart. Yet, it is suffused with contemporary flavours and rendered not only in Italian, but also in English and Yoruba.

Guchi actual words swirls around bridging the gap between classical and pop or contemporary music. This explains his enthusiasm about the hybridisation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fusion, many would call it â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of the two genres, which normally appeal to totally different sensibilities. Could that also explain the gaudy stage backdrop, which would have been better suited for a nightclub?

The end-result of his experimentation, albeit mostly euphonious, turns out to be a witchesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cauldron of confections, which defy all attempts at

Guchi performs a duet with Blessing Agu classification or pigeon-holing. It starts with the concert overture: a comtemporanised version of Johann Pachelbelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canon and Gigue in D Major, played by the band whose most recognisable members are Tosin Ajayi (the music director/ principal pianist) and Ibukun Kafaru (sound engineer/pianist).

Then, Guchi makes his first appearance on stage, sporting a red-fringed black cape over his black suit, for the Neapolitan song composed in 1902 by Italian musician Ernesto De Curtis, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Torna a Surrientoâ&#x20AC;?.

The song, which was officially copyrighted in 1905, enjoyed the same popularity as others like â&#x20AC;&#x153;O Sole Mioâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;FuniculĂŹ FuniculĂ â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Santa Luciaâ&#x20AC;?. It has been sung by renowned performers like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, PlĂĄcido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti and Roberto Carlos, among others.

For MUSON concerts newbies, his vocal artistry becomes more evident with a duet performance of Andrew Lloyd Webberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Phantom of the Operaâ&#x20AC;? with the soprano Blessing Agu. Actually, this song preceded the stage musical of the same name, whose lyrics were written by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, with additional lyrics by Mike Batt. Originally, it was recorded by Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley and became a UK hit single in 1986. Eventually,

Brightman (as Christine DaaĂŠ) and featured alongside Michael Crawford (as the Phantom) in its theatrical debut.

Perhaps, the sound engineers should be chastised for forcing Ranti Ihumoyan to wobble through Andrew Lloyd Webberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Cry for Me, Argentinaâ&#x20AC;? from Evita. The otherwise proficient singer finds herself struggling to project above the poor sound quality. Somehow, Guchiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rendition of Webberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oh, What a Circusâ&#x20AC;? manages to wend its way through these landmines and right the wrongs.

But, Ranti gets the chance to redeem her image with her superlative performance of Georges Bizetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Habaneraâ&#x20AC;?, which has arguably been rated alongside Toreador as Carmen's most famous aria. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Habaneraâ&#x20AC;?, which literally translates as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Havanan Danceâ&#x20AC;?, had its origin in the Cuban capital, Havana, in the late 19th century and became popular throughout the Spanish colonies.

It was in 1872, while he was in Paris, that Bizet was commissioned by the OpĂŠra-Comique to write a full-length opera. Thus Carmen was composed with the help of a libretto by Henry

BRIEFLY

Ben Enwonwuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Negritude Leads Other Lots at Arthouse Auction

B

en Enwonwuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well-known â&#x20AC;&#x153;Negritudeâ&#x20AC;? sold for N25,850,000 ($ 71,806) to emerge the bestselling lot at theArthouse Contemporary Limitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 21st Modern and ContemporaryArtAuction held on Tuesday, November 20 at the Kia Showroom alongAdeola Odeku Street in the up-market Victoria Island neighbourhood, Lagos.

The 1991 80 X 53 cm watercolour on paper work was estimated to sell between N30,000,000 and 45,000,000 ($ 83,400 and 125,000).

Also at the auction, which began at about 6 pm, another well-known work by the artist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a 109cm fibre glass sculpture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Africa Dancesâ&#x20AC;? sold for N16,450,000 ($ 45,694). This was a work that was estimated to sell between N 15,000,000 and 25,000,000 ($ 41,700 and 69,500).

Bruce Onobrakpeyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 147 X 208 cm metal foil relief work â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good Governanceâ&#x20AC;?, which was estimated to sell between N6,000,000 and 8,000,000 ($ 16,700 and 22,300), followed closely on its heels to sell for N5,287,500 ($ 14,688).

Yet another Ben Enwonwuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 23 cm fibre glass sculpture â&#x20AC;&#x153;Remiâ&#x20AC;?, produced around 1977, sold

for N4,230,000 ($ 11,750) and was estimated to sell between N4,500,000 and 5,500,000 ($ 12,500-15,300).

Besides Enwonwu and Onobrakpeya, this edition of the auction featured such modern masters as Akinola Lasekan, Ben Osawe, TayoAdenaike, Chuks Anywanwu,Abayomi Barber, Okpu Eze,Ablade Glover, Rufus Ogundele, Simon Okeke, and Kolade Oshinowo, among others.

It also featured leading contemporary artists like ElAnatsui, PejuAlatise, Gerald Chukwuma,Alimi Adewale, Sokari Douglas Camp CBE, Lemi Ghariokwu, Rom Isichei, Chike Obeagu, Nnenna Okore, Abiodun Olaku, Ben Osaghae and Kainebi Osahenye, among others.

The auction, in addition, also included three charity lots from Johnson Uwadinma, Muraina Oyelami and Nwachukwu Ike, in support ofArthouse Foundation, the non-profit artist residency programme based in Lagos, which provides a platform for artists to expand their practice and experiment with new art forms and ideas, offering live/work residencies throughout the year in three-month residencies.

The auction, which was led by noted auctioneer John Dabney, was sponsored by Kia Showroom, Veuve Clicquot, 7UP and Shiro.

Negritude by Ben Enwonwu 1991 Watercolour on paper 80 x 53 cm

Meilhac and Ludovic HalÊvy, which was based on the novel of the same title by author Prosper MÊrimÊe. Bizet's full-length opera Carmen was set in Seville, Spain during the mid 19th century.

The concertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first segmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best offering turns out to be the 2005 Brits Awards-winning song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Angelsâ&#x20AC;?, written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers and released as a single in December 1997, sung by Genevieve Ogu and Guchi.

Blond-haired violinist Oana Lonescu ushers in the second segment, after a 15-minute intermission, with a dexterous performance of Vittorio Montiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Czardasâ&#x20AC;?. Lonescu obviously has come a long way with fiddling the string instrument and this earns her a well-deserved applause.

Between the soprano soloist Genevieve Ogu and Guchi, the Sound of Music medley â&#x20AC;&#x201C; consisting of Lonely Goatherd, Edelweiss and Climb Every Mountain â&#x20AC;&#x201C; seems cautiously rendered to sound as close to the original as possible. Really, a pop version of any of the familiar songs could have been an overkill.

And faithfulness to the original doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get better than the Swiss soprano Teuta Nicoletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rendition of the French composer LĂŠo Delibesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Les Filles de Cadixâ&#x20AC;?. Nothing less than a first-rate performance could have been expected from her given her renown in the local classical music circuit.

The dexterous violinist Emmaolin gets his limelight moment with his sterling instrumental rendition of Cold Playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Viva La Vidaâ&#x20AC;?, with Guchi interjecting with his voice the towards the end.

Expectedly, this elicits the audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rapturous applause for both performers.

The spotlight returns to Guchi, who first sings â&#x20AC;&#x153;Starsâ&#x20AC;? from Les MisĂŠrables draped in a black cape over his black suit and, afterwards, the Christmas carol â&#x20AC;&#x153;O Holy Nightâ&#x20AC;? as well as â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I Can Help Somebodyâ&#x20AC;? by the late African-America diva Alma Irene Bazel Androzzo Thompson.

This concert actually winds down as Teuta Nicolet returns to sing the concertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parting Andrea Bocelliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Con Te Partiroâ&#x20AC;? with Guchi. But the real parting shot comes after the curtain call with Guchi treating the audience to â&#x20AC;&#x153;O Sole Mi Oâ&#x20AC;?, the Neapolitan song written by Giovanni Capurro in 1898 and played at the opening ceremony of the 1920 summer Olympics in the Belgian port city Antwerp in place of the Italian national anthem.

The successful Lagos edition of The Vocal Chain Concert is a foretaste of what aficionados should expect at the Port Harcourt, Abuja and Benin editions, which will be holding for the first time this year. â&#x20AC;&#x201C;â&#x20AC;&#x201C;This concert was held on Sunday, November 25 from 6 pm

70

DECE Í°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś Ëž THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

ARTS & REVIEW\\BOOKS AT ITS 10TH ANNIVERSARY, COAL CITY BOOK CONVENTION TAKES STOCK Yinka Olatunbosun

F

or the Enugu-based Delta Publications (Nigeria) Limited, Tuesday, November 27 marks a major milestone. The bookpublishing company will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of its annual Coal City Book Convention. But this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition of the event will be low-keyed, offering only a simple banquet. This is a departure from the previous larger-than-life diverse literary activities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are going to give it a rest this year,â&#x20AC;? the Delta Publications CEO Dillibe Onyeama says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The staff and members of the planning committee will have a morning session of brain-storming to finalise on the way forward from next year, pursuant to our policy of continuous improvement. Over the years, we have been penning down ideas for radical change in people-oriented strategies to enhance fulfilment and expand the horizon of enlightenment for stakeholders in the book industry. That way, hopefully, we would increase sales of our titles and magazine.â&#x20AC;?

Considering the challenges facing the book-publishing industry, the outfit has not fared badly in the past decade, even when Onyeama says â&#x20AC;&#x153;We could have done better.â&#x20AC;?

The logistics of setting up an annual book fiesta on the scale of Coal City Book Convention are financially challenging. Onyeama disclosed that the maiden outing in 2009 was able to take off with government sponsorship on the platform of the Enugu Centenary Celebrations Committee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government gave us money, free use of the hall at Nike Hotel Resort, feeding for 50 guests, six free suites to host guests from other states, free transportation, and free publicity on both national network radio and television to advertise the convention. We didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get off to a bad start. Since then we have been pretty well making our own way from the proceeds of our book publishing activities, although a few good Samaritans like former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme bankrolled us every now and again and personally attended several of our conventions.â&#x20AC;?

Somehow, public interest and patronage of the literary activities have been most encouraging. This explains how the annual conventions invariably yielded handsome profit in terms of cash intake from sales of books and its magazine. Moreover, the impressive attendance by the literati cutting across all sections of society has been helpful. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our plan now is to forge ahead with strategies that are unique to this company, as has been the case. For instance, it was resolved that we should take the celebration of the book to beyond the frontiers of Enugu State; and we have done that with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Capital Territory Book Conventionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Abuja, and Profiles at the Lagoonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Lagos, both successful maiden outings and both to be annual celebrations,â&#x20AC;? he adds.

The decision to opt for a low-keyed celebration this year is an obvious reaction to the depressed economy. After brain-storming sessions, the organising team of the annual convention will retreat to Onyeamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s private residence for a buffet lunch. Later that day, the still-surviving winners of The Olaudah Equiano Life-Award will be treated to a sumptuous repast at an evening banquet, during which a few words will be said in remembrance of those awardees who have passed on.

Hatched in 2009 on the platform of the state governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Enugu Centenary Committee Celebration, the convention has been organised by the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subsidiary outfit The Delta Book Club. It has been canvassed by the organisers as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the biggest ever literary extravaganza east of the Nigerâ&#x20AC;?, and characterised by a three-day fiesta in words, drama performance and music to celebrate literary excellence among the Igbo people of Nigeria.

It has maintained a permanent base in Enugu as the traditional capital of the genus Igbo.

It will be recalled that the reason given by the company for the creation of Coal City Book Convention was predicated on the perception that the first black author in the history of literature was Olaudah Equiano (also known as Gustavus Vassa the African), who was Igbo. He was captured as a slave circa 1745 aged 10 from his Isseke homeland in Anambra State, and taken to England, where ultimately he gained his freedom and published his book of memoirs in London in 1789 with the title The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.

A description in Equianoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book of his early life in Igbo land served as evidence to the organisers of Coal City Book Convention of a very definite existence of aesthetic literary expression among the Igbos since before the dawn of time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are almost a nation of dancers, music and poetsâ&#x20AC;?

From this information the organisers included a programme of song and dance that paid homage to the captivating poetry inherent in Igbo music. Hence every year of the convention has witnessed a drumming rendition of the ancient Igede rhythms, and the winners of the Olaudah Equiano Life-Award were compelled to entertain with their dance techniques in sweet congruity.

Immortalising Olaudah Equiano every year with an award in his name thus became the policy of The Delta Book Club. The awards areconferred on three outstanding and stillliving Nigerian achievers east of the Niger in various disciplines of human endeavour.

Among the celebrities on whom the awards have been conferred are octogenarian author Professor Anezi Okoro, popular TV actor Chika Okpala (Zebrudaya), former DG of JAMB Sampson Ukpabi, retired education guru Maria David-Osuagwu, former VC of UNN Enugu Professor Bartho Okolo, former Administrator Sir Ugwu Ujam, culinary Fast Food giant Dame Fely Chioke, former Nigerwives Librarian Dame Dorothy Obi,

Onyeama revered Elder Statesman Chief Nduka Eya. Some of the awardees who have passed on, and to be remembered at the banquet, include revered priest, author and Proprietor of Coal City University Stan Ani, Permanent Secretary

Bernice Agbo, heroic childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medic Winifred Kaine, and fiery researcher Catherine Acholonu.

Manuela Charlotte, On-Line Editor of The Delta Book Club, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Events like this are more meaningful and fulfilling when they are celebrated in the name of some legendary hero that the people can identify with. That was the strategy also applied in Abuja and Lagos, where we celebrated the Northern literary hero Abubakar Gimba, and the Yoruba literary legend Amos Tutuola.â&#x20AC;?

In the case of Igbo land, there was the additional source of inspiration for the organisers rooted in the notion that Igbo authors constitute some 70% of Nigerian literature in the English language, capped by the credit to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ndi-Igboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as being in overall control of marketing and trade of the book industry throughout the West African sub-region.

Moreover there was euphoria in the fact that literature in Black Africa first attained its highest revolutionary flourish from 1947 in the boom years of a phenomenon that has become celebrated as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Onitsha Market Pamphlet Literature, from which such literary legends as Cyprian Ekwensi and Ogali A. Ogali sprouted long before later juggernauts-of-the-pen like Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Christopher Okigbo, John Pepper Clark, Gabriel Okara, James Ngugi and George Awoonor-Williams etched their own names in gold.

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71

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

CICERO

Editor:Olawale Olaleye Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

The Failed Coup in Akwa Ibom Assembly Last week’s failed attempt to impeach Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State by five lawmakers of the state House of Assembly is preposterous, writes Olawale Olaleye

T

he foiled attempt by five lawmakers of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly led by factional Speaker Nse Ntuen, to remove Governor Udom Emmanuel from office is a sad reminder of some of the many contradictions that currently define Nigeria especially, that such moves have become a character of the nation’s election cycle.

The mere understanding that the event of last Monday at the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly shared very closely with a few of the markers that sculpted the era of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the lead up to 2015 is the reason the Akwa Ibom development is considered worrisome and disturbing in many quarters and ultimately condemnable.

The Akwa Ibom theatre of the absurd was akin to what happened in Rivers State in 2013 as the nation journeyed through trauma of the 2015 elections, when the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) tried all it could to annex the state before and during the elections, including the move by also five lawmakers led by Evans Bipi, a cousin of former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, to first impeach then Speaker Otelemba Amachree, and subsequently get Amaechi out of the way. It is no less a déjà vu.

In fact, then National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, had described the failed attempt to impeach Amachree, by five lawmakers as “an expression of one’s constitutional rights” on the part of the dissenting lawmakers.

It turned out a violent adventure that eventually led to the hospitalisation of some of the lawmakers. But the coup was not foiled until Amaechi moved in with his personal security aides, who engaged the dissident lawmakers and arrested the situation.

Save for the timely move by Governor Emmanuel, who also moved in with his personal security, there could have been a different narrative out there on the state of the state as some sacked five lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) engaged in a supremacy battle.

It was a tense situation that led to the exchange of gunfire.

Some reports had it that Ntuen and his colleagues had arrived the assembly chamber early before plenary with the sole intent to impeach the governor, but as a counter move, the governor too arrived at the venue with his team, mostly his cabinet members and security details, a development that created an atmosphere for supporters of the governor, many of them youths, to move against the lawmakers.

The build-up to that event was even the more curious. Penultimate Monday, some thugs had reportedly invaded the Assembly complex and prevented members from gaining access to the building. But that phase was overcome, when the police stepped in and restored normalcy. This did not however prevent the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole from issuing a statement, condemning then police commissioner, John Abang, whom he accused of being political.

Oshiomhole’s statement was later interpreted to mean that by directly accusing the commissioner of being political, it was probably because he refused to carry out orders to provide security cover that would enable the minority lawmakers to effect a change of leadership.

Thus, with a new Commissioner of Police,

Akwa Ibom State House of Assemly during the failed Impeachment row Hyelasinda Musa Kimo, whom the ruling party believed might have been deployed in the state to do the filthy job, with the sole brief of taking over the Assembly, creating tension and giving effect to the siege mentality, police actually effectively took over the complex, allegedly using thugs first as front.

Unfortunately, this has corroborated the fears expressed recently by the PDP that there was a grand plan by the leadership of the APC to annex some states in the South-south, with focus said to be on Rivers and Akwa Ibom.

Therefore, when the siege started penultimate Monday, the PDP cried out and pointed at the brewing situation. It took the police another week to lift the siege. That regardless, the PDP insisted that the move was in sync with the APC ploy to make the state ungovernable for its governor ahead of the 2019 elections.

The party said the strategy was to make it possible for the APC-led federal government to declare a state of emergency and pave the way for easy manipulations of election results in 2019.

It suffices to recall that a former national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had once said while in office that the party could not afford to leave the oil rich state in the hands of the opposition PDP. His statement was then interpreted to mean that the state had the kind of resources required to fund its party, being the largest oil (producing) state in the country.

Lately, a former governor of the state, Sena-

tor Godswill Akpabio, who recently defected to the APC, has also not hidden his desire to get the state back for APC to prove his political relevance. The development also explains why he has been combative since his defection including saying his choice of Emmanuel was an error.

Thus, going by the recent but similar experience in Ondo and Anambra States, where thugs, with the backing of security had been used to sack assembly members and impeach principal officers, what is gradually building up to the 2019 elections is too foreboding for the discerning to ignore.

The expectation is that all contending parties would go to the field, canvass legitimate votes and slug it out on a level playing ground. But what has been playing out so far in some of the states does not indicate any commitment to a level playing ground and the implication is grave for the country especially given the pervasive tension and exasperating insecurity in the land.

The attempt to forcibly change leadership in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and by extension, remove Governor Emmanuel is unfortunate and provocative. The ruling government must pay attention to such developments that could further taint its already blemished reputation and put a stop to the brigandage going on in many states across the federation.

The developments are not acceptable and had better be arrested in collective interest.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

I Atiku with Ekweremadu at the PDP Convention

PDP: Arresting the Storm

t is no longer news to anyone, who has been closely monitoring political developments that since the initial momentum that the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar gathered and brought the way of the PDP, it has not been well with the main opposition party especially since it settled for Mr. Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State as Atiku’s running mate.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu didn’t find the choice of Obi funny more so, that he had hoped it would be him after working hard for Atiku’s emergence and even allegedly selling out on some of his friends,

who also contested the party’s nomination. So, he moved against Obi and understandably so, such that the choice of Obi almost died on arrival. Consequently, the situation contaminated the PDP momentum and naturally killed the frenzy that trailed Atiku’s emergence.

But that phase of the party’s challenges might have been surmounted now. In a deft political move, Atiku, in company with his campaign manager, Senate President Bukola Saraki and others, paid Ekweremadu an unscheduled visit, where they talked things over and as it is, the storm might have been arrested and the PDP can look forward to the next phase in the countdown to 2019.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

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BRIEFINGNOTES For Osun, a New Chapter Opens TherewasasignificantchangeofguardinOsunlastweek,whenGovernorGboyegaOyetolamountedthesaddleat a swearing-in witnessed by the crème de la crème of the society. But of concern to many observers is how Oyetola intendstomarrythecontroversiallegaciesofhispredecessor,RaufAregbesolawithhisownpromisesofanewera, amid huge debt profile and paucity of funds, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

T

he change of leadership baton in Osun State from former Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola to Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola signified a new chapter in the state even as many analysts opined that the lot of the new governor is not enviable in the least, given the issues that characterised the last eight years of his predecessor in office.

Aregbesola’s came on board amid high expectations from the people. The expectations are both on account of the performance of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a retired General and former Military Administrator of Lagos State, his perceived people-centric campaign leading to the widespread following he garnered going into the elections, and his pedigree as a former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos State.

Indeed, his eight years as commissioner in Lagos State was largely considered meritorious. As commissioner during the eight years tenure of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the state witnessed commendable infrastructure renewal across the length and breadth of Lagos State and many in his camp credited him as the driver of the initiatives.

But his critics differed slightly and insisted he was merely the enforcer of the Tinubu dream in terms of infrastructure renewal in the state of aquatic splendour.

Whichever divide one sees it from, his profile soared during the time and he leveraged it as a selling point during his campaign to govern Osun and the Osun electorate bought into it.

His campaign was also full of strategy that resonated with the people. A former Director of Organisation of the old Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, assessing his campaign strategy had disclosed in an interview at the time that, he sees a master strategist in Aregbesola going by how he went about his campaigns and warned the then ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to buckle up. As a former party organiser, Babatope should know.

Upon assuming office in 2007, he set about the task ahead of him and initiated a handful of people-centric policies in line with his revolutionary streak, although largely controversial. Among them were Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (Oyes), O-meals and traffic management cop among others.

Upon assuming office after a court of appeal pronounced him winner of the state’s governorship election, he set about the task of turning the state around for good. Indeed his developmental footprints abound in the state.

Aregbesola changed the face of education in the state. He built modern school buildings different local government areas of the state, employed qualified teaching staff in both primary and secondary schools, and also introduced handheld mini computers dubbed ‘Opon Imo’ meant to take learning beyond the brick and mortals of the classrooms and school feeding.

Those in his camp listed 3685 new classrooms, allegedly fed over 1.5 million school children through O-Meals programme, adding that he created 7,057 jobs through it.

He was also credited with the employment of 12000 teachers between 2011 and 2013 in secondary schools, adding that approximately 3,230 regular teachers were absorbed for elementary schools, coupled with the provision of 45 school buses distributed amongst schools in the state to make free transportation services available to all school pupils and students.

But by far his biggest achievements, some of his allies contended, was his interventions in the areas of infrastructure and human capital development. In this regard, they credited him with construction of over 1000 km of urban roads, 231.057km Council roads across all the 30 local governments, 27 intercity roads, 81 township roads covering over 255.47km and many others have been

Oyetola and Aregbesola during the campaign constructed to give access roads to inhabitants of the state.

The United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) declared Osun State as the leading state in the provision of social protection programmes and commended Aregbesola for his commitment to social, educational and economic development of the state.

Nigeria’s representative of UNICEF, Mr. Mohammed Fall, said the various social security programmes of the Aregbesola administration have attracted the attention of the world, because of its impact at eliminating poverty.

Fall, who was represented by Andrew Buffon, spoke at the launch of Osun Protection Policy and Law stated that “Osun has become a leading state in the provision of social protection programmes in the entire country, hence the interest of UNICEF in supporting the state in the funding of the programmes,” adding that the state was always presented as an example to the world whenever the issue of social protection in Africa is being discussed.

Even with his accomplishments as governor, the Che Guevara and Fidel Castro apologist however, Aregbesola created some controversies along the line. Neutral commentators insisted that some of the controversies were avoidable and added that plunging into those reflected his poor reading of the political barometer of the state at the time.

In the education sector, his introduction of unified school uniform was seen as taking his reform of the sector too far just as his handling of the wearing of Hijab to schools

by Muslim was heavily criticised. Some critics

of his administration also alleged that the introduction of Opon Imo tablet was skewed to enrich his son, a computer programmer and graduate of a Cuban university.

Perhaps, more poignant criticism of his administration bordered on fiscal management of state resources. Indeed, the state is not known to be very wealthy or boast of a robust Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). This fact became an albatross when oil revenue to the nation dived southwards and thus affected his ability to fully and promptly pay workers’ salary and pensions.

Not unexpectedly, his political opponents including a former deputy governor of the state Senator Iyiola Omisore, the opposition PDP took advantage of the situation and de-marketed him for political gains. But then, which opposition wouldn’t do that?

Even then, some commended the way he managed the situation by paying varying per cent of workers’ salary as against what obtained in other states, where civil servants were owed backlog of salaries until the federal government bailed them out.

His woes were however compounded in the run-up to choosing his successor.

The preference for Oyetola masked in the adoption of Direct Primaries saw to the exit of some of his allies from the days of struggle when they all joined forces to retrieve his ‘stolen mandate’ from the Oyinlola-led PDP government in the state.

The cumulative effect manifested in the near loss of the governorship election that brought Oyetola into office. The political intrigues, trade-offs and outright shenanigans and oppression of the APC are still fresh in the memory of people of the state, thus,

the conclusion that Oyetola is inheriting an avalanche of challenges.

No one envies Oyetola. And this is on account of the baggage that his immediate successor left behind for him to deal with.

Really very few people will sympathise with him, if for nothing else, but the fact that he was a part of the Aregbesola administration in which he served as Chief of Staff.

Another burden he will shoulder is the debt burden of the state. Many of Aregbesola’s critics lamented the debt profile of the state and accused him of plunging the state into its current debt position. How Oyetola navigates the state out of the precarious debt situation will form another yardstick of measuring his performance in office as well as his leadership skills.

Certainly, he will require a high standard of human and resource management skills as well as discipline to navigate the stormy times that lay ahead of him. Dealing with some of the challenges may require the political class showing some understanding as it may be necessary for him to drastically reduce the number of political aides, and not the cosmetic approach of delaying the composition of his cabinet as Aregbesola did on the two occasions that he was governor.

Whichever route the new governor chooses to follow, a couple of things are certain: he must creatively think outside of the box and find ways of boosting the state’s IGR; he must adjust priorities and doing this will require that he listens to the people more and not continue to force some of Aregbesola’s unpopular policies down their throats. But clearly, his emergence signifies a new chapter in the life of the state.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

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Fashola...South-west should produce President in 2023

Fashola Vs Adesina

Adesina...it is just that South-east produces President in 2023

Between the Realist and the Idealist A developing debate, which borders on which of the geo-political zones is next to produce the president come 2023 presents a case of the idealist up against the realist, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

T

he 2019 presidential election may present pointers to what the 2023 presidential poll will look like given that some political gladiators have begun to use the 2023 presidential slot as bait to corner votes from their zones in expectation that the presidency would come to them.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola stoked the issue weeks back, when he called on people of the South-west to turn out en masse and vote for President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection as a way to return power to the zone in 2023.

He did while speaking at two different functions in the region. It was first in Ibadan and second in Ikeja, both capitals of Oyo and Lagos States respectively.

Given Fashola’s persona as one gifted in the art of thorough planning and creative execution of his action plans, political analysts noted that the locations, where he made the call are tactical and instructive.

The political clout of the region is in the two states and it is noteworthy here. Ibadan is still considered the political capital of the South-west and strategic to political considerations in the region. On the other hand, Lagos is believed to be the leading light of political sophistication and developmental strides in the region and nation at large, thus making the two locations where Fashola chose to drop the campaign message very instructive.

Importantly, the two states boast the largest voting strengths in the region. According to data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while Lagos has 6,247, 845 registered voters, Oyo has 2,577,490. The closest to the two states in the region in terms of voting strength is Ogun State with 1, 869, 326 votes.

At the two events, Fashola called on voters in the region to vote massively for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, arguing that doing so would guarantee a return of the nation’s presidency to the zone.

This position was first mooted by the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, many weeks back but it didn’t gain much traction or dissention at the time.

Making the call in Ibadan at a Town Hall Meeting, Fashola had explained that “As South-west indigene, I will vote for the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket because my people stand to gain more from it. Voting for President Buhari would guarantee that power will return to the South-west in 2023.

“The South-west is presently occupying the position of the vice president. We have three key ministers and many different federal appointments from the present administration, which we cannot afford to lose,” he first said in Ibadan and repeated the argument days later in Lagos.

Unlike when Tinubu first hinted at the position and when Fashola reiterated it, opposition to the position was quick and not unexpected. Many leading politicians from the South-east extraction criticised the position and argued that it was the turn of the zone to produce the nation’s president come 2023.

The matter however took a different turn, when Senior Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina joined the fray and aligned with the South-east position. He argued that equity demands that the South-east is allowed to rule at the center come 2023, but was quick to add a caveat that the zone will need to play the right politics if it wanted the presidency in 2023.

Speaking at the Abuja residence of a former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, the presidential spokesman said “...equity demanded that the South-east should also produce the presidency; the region’s kind of politics in 2019 would determine its fate in 2023.”

He added: “I have always believed that every region of the country should play good politics, because Nigeria curiously has been naturally zoned and not one zone can singlehandedly produce the president not even two, we have to align. The South-east and any other part of the country cannot produce the Presidency alone and we know that equity demands that Southeast should also produce the presidency but the kind of politics the region will play in 2019 will determine what happens in 2023.”

Political analysts have interpreted both Fashola and Adesina’s positions on the debate as the reality up against the ideal. While the presidential spokesman is the idealist, the minister remains the realist in the case and noted that while mortals may covet the ideal, the realist often carry the day in politics or any other human endeavour at that.

Analysts hold the view that while the ideal would have been for the South-east to produce the president after President Buhari’s second term, as the zone is yet to do so since the return of democracy in 1999, the reality of the nation’s political landscape may be pointing at something different, at least, not in 2023.

Aside political permutations, some of the factors that may count against the South-east appear to favour the South-west. The factors range from voting strength, party affinity and political sophistication amongst a few others Given that politics is a game of numbers, the Southwest boasts more voting population than the South-east.

Findings revealed that while the South-west has a total of 14,298,356, the South-east has 7,028,560. Based on their voting strengths, the South-west stands a good chance than their South-east counterpart.

Another drawback for the South-east is presumed to be the fact that more of the states in the zone are controlled by the opposition PDP just as its best and

most marketable politicians belong in the party.

But beyond political calculations and voting strength, can the Igbo nation clinch the presidency in 2023? The odds, realistically do not pan in that slant.

THISDAY checks revealed that several leading Igbo politician are not convinced that the presidency would go to the zone in 2023. While some are aware of the futility of pushing the project given the insincerity of the political class to the Igbo cause and decided to maintain sealed lips in good conscience, others are considered as businessmen who might trade-off for personal gains and continued political relevance.

Given the prevailing political scenario, analysts therefore contended that the smartest choice for South-east voters in 2019 is to vote according to their conviction and not be swayed by the carrot of 2023 being dangled before them to curry their votes.

Those who hold this line, among them Dr. Kolade Adams of the political science department, Lagos State University (LASU) Ojo, argued that it would be foolhardy for the zone to vote based on promises of the Presidency come 2023. He maintained that with the benefit of hindsight and an understanding of the mischief and intrigues, which the nation’s politics is notorious for, banking on any such promise would not be a wise decision to take.

“I think it will be unwise for the South-east to vote based on a promise or understanding that the zone will produce the president in 2023. Ask yourself, do Nigerian politicians honour promises or agreement? Nigerian politics is full of intrigues, tricks and mischief, knowing so, I don’t think it would be wise for the South-east to vote based on the promise that presidency will come to them in 2023,” Adams stated.

Realistically, the Igbos may not be well positioned to get the Presidency in 2023. Look at it this way, in 2023, President Buhari will merely look on as the party zones the position to the South-west just as he is currently doing while some of his core allies face different travails in the party.

And if Atiku wins, he might desire a second term even though he had said he wanted to serve for just a term. But Nigerian politicians are wired to promise everything just to get into office and when they do, the music changes.

Another analyst put it nearly better. “Nigerian politicians rarely honour agreements. They swore to one term but when they get into office the music changes. Did Atiku not promise more than one Igbo politician to be his running mate?” he quipped.

Nigeria’s politics, just like life itself is not based on what is fair or just. The Igbos will do well to play the right kind of politics that will fetch it the zone the plum position rather than naively expect that other zones in the region would sit back and concede the presidency to them on a platter.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

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CICERO/ISSUE

Between Electioneering Hate Speeches!

As the 2019 election campaigns officially kicked off, the need to shun hate speech has becomes election imperative, Olaseni Durojaiye writes

T

he official commencement of electioneering ahead of the 2019 general election has necessitated that a few warnings are sounded with the prime objective that the elections eventually hold peacefully and in a free and fair atmospherewithoutanyuntoward

aftermath.

This is all the more important given the tension and apprehension that have come to characterise the nation’s election cycle. The tension and apprehension are disturbing and avoidable. It is trite to state that the signs are already foreboding. Such a conditioned atmosphere has always hurt the nation politically, irrespective of which party wins the much coveted seat, given her skewed federalism and presidential system.

Already, there are reports of capital flight from the nation’s fragile economy. This has become a recurring decimal every election cycle.

Some financial analysts argued that the foreign exchange outflow from the system around this time belongs to foreign investors, who they described as fair weather friends.

Whether they are right or not, the fact remains that businesses do not thrive in tumultuous environment just as not many foreign investors will risk its investment, when the signs of palpable conflicts that could consume the investments are discernible, especially when fuelled by hate speeches among the major political actors.

It is therefore necessary that politicians are warned in the strongest terms to safeguard the electoral process from any action or inaction that could jeopardise the process and set the nation ablaze. Of course, the electoral umpire has a duty to be transparent and neutral. It is even the more important to get the politicians to sign on to the no hate speech creed as it is the way to a prosperous and peaceful post-election era.

To achieve same, politicians and candidates in the election as well as their foot soldiers must shun hate speeches during the campaigns. All stakeholders in the political space need to desist from deploying all forms of inflammatory statements, inciting innuendos and campaign of calumny as they go about canvassing for votes.

Many factors make sounding this warning very pertinent. Most disturbing is the character make-up of the nation’s politicians and their winner-takes-all orientation, which often makes to deploy every legitimate and illegitimate means to win elections. Over the years, their modus operandi has been to coat their hate speech in cultural, ethnic and religious colourations, coupled with their penchant for being everything but magnanimous even in victory, further compounds the matter.

Instructively, the concern about hate speeches being deployed during elections is not new.

A team of professors from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria that studied the conduct of the 2015 elections in Nigeria affirmed that politicians used hate speeches to win elections, adding that hate speeches featured prominently during the 2015 general election and were relayed by social media.

According to the Political Science professors, ethnicity and religion are still the trademarks of politicians in Nigeria.

The dons’ position was contained in a communiqué issued after an international conference held at the department of Political Science and International Studies, Faculty of Social Science, ABU, Zaria, which held in April 2016. The professors then advised politicians to

Yakubu shun hate speeches.

The communiqué, which was jointly signed by the Chairman Communiqué Committee of the Conference, Prof. Hudu Abdullah, and the Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Prof.

Ayo Dunmore, also noted that the plethora of political parties in a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria is a menace to a viable democratic culture and acknowledged that internal democracy is rarely respected by Nigerian political parties.

Interestingly, the calamitous consequences of hate speeches abound in history. The Rwandan genocide of 1994 is one and still fresh in human memory notwithstanding the giant strides that that country has since recorded after.

Whatever the remote causes of the Rwanda genocide were, analysts, critics and other commentators agreed, was exacerbated by hate speeches and inciting statements. Those who orchestrated the sadistic campaign may have thought they had a justified cause while hatching the inhuman plot, but today some of them live in regret that they were masterminds in the killing of between 800, 000 and one million

people.

Truth be told, Nigeria’s multi-ethnic set-up makes it a fertile ground for hate speeches to easily germinate and yield catastrophe of unimaginable proportion, which is why every politician must shun the act. And in doing so, all stakeholders must come good and play by the globally acceptable democratic practice. Anything contrary will be unacceptable especially with the current unease and ethnic suspicions that the herdsmen killings have birthed in some parts the country.

But it needs not be so. Analysts opined that our diversity, if well managed and explored, has the capacity to bring certain advantages including productivity, creativity and efficiency that strategically position the country in the competitive global economy.

Commentators, who warned against hate speeches, also insisted that a repeat of the Nnamdi Kanu saga must be avoided even as some of them warned that perpetrators of such inciting speeches as promoted by the fleeing ethnic breakaway campaigner may not be

as lucky as Kanu, when the die is cast. They maintained that if they shun all entreaties and promote hate speeches in their campaigns, everyone will become a victim, including the promoters too.

Public affairs commentators maintained that Nigerian politicians only need to pay heed as many stakeholders, among them are Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111 and Civil Society Organisations from different parts of the country have all lent their voices to the call at different times.

Sultan Abubakar 111, who doubles as the President-General of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, at a pre-Ramadan lecture in May, told politicians in the country to deliver dividends of democracy to the people rather than propagate hate speeches.

In the same vein, a CSO, Progressive Mind for Development Initiative (PMDI), urged political parties to caution their candidates against the use of hate speeches and sentiments during campaigns.

The Yola, Adamawa State-based NGO gave the advice a fortnight ago in a statement signed by its President, Abubakar Abdulsalam, adding that the call became necessary in view of the approaching general election in the country.

Abdulsalam warned that, “We deemed it necessary to call on all political parties to warn their respective candidates to desist from hate speeches during campaigns. Campaigns should be strictly on development in all aspects of human life,” he stated.

Rather than resort to hate speeches, commentators wanted politicians to make their campaigns issue-based.

According to Dr. Kolade Adams of the Political Science department at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, political stakeholders should focus on selling superiority of their party’s manifesto and programme to the people as against de-marketing the other party through campaign of calumny and use of hate speeches and sentiments.

“What the people expect of politicians is focus on selling their parties and candidacies to the electorate. I expect them to argue out the superiority of their party manifestos and programmes of execution, when elected, not to resort to boastful languages, campaign of calumny and hates speech given the negative outcomes going such route could wrath on the system,” Adams told THISDAY. Fortunately, the country has a model to look up to in former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Quite uncharacteristic of the average Nigerian politician and leader, he had gracefully accepted electoral loss in 2015 and called the eventual winner, President Muhammadu Buhari to congratulate him. That sportsman-like attitude is what is required of Nigerian politicians at this time.

Findings have shown that the disadvantages of hate speeches during campaign always spill over into the next administration.

An economy policy analyst with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Rotimi Oyelere argued, “even if we don’t get to have conflict, the economy suffers afterwards.

Hate speech impedes economic growth especially, in an economy like ours. Our investment space is largely buoyed by foreign investors, if our politicians heat the polity, foreign investors will flee with the portfolio investments.

“Then, after elections, we start another cycles of wooing them. It always takes time before they come back and while they contemplate whether to return or not the economy suffers and we lose ground. So, beyond causing physical destructions and violence, hate speeches also hurt the economy,” he added.

NOTES FOR FILE

Danger of Politicising Security Funding

Buhari and Buratai

Since the killings of about 120 soldiers belonging to the 157 Battalion in Melete, Borno State, huge attention has been shifted to security funding as a majority of the people had started to ask questions and mostly seeking a probe of the security funding so far.

Sadly, that is not a turf to thread by just anyone. Much as accountability and transparency remain two conjoined twins in governance, they are usually excused when the issue on the table has security implications, because the dangers of exposing whatever malfeasance perpetrated under security votes or funding are by far more than

concealing the sleaze.

It is trite to say that although a retired general, who should have known better, President Muhammadu Buhari started this untoward development, when he tried to probe the source of PDP’s 2015 campaign funds through the Arms deal that went south. It is however not a tradition that should be sustained in national interest. Whilst it is urgent and crucial to find a lasting solution to the constant attacks on the Nigerian army, prying into security funding does not sound smart and intelligent and government must sidestep this slippery path to national security.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

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Fayemi inspecting the relic that Ikogosi had become

Fayemi and theTrouble of Rebuilding Ekiti The decrepit state of infrastructure in Ekiti State presents a difficult start for Governor Kayode Fayemi, writes Victor Ogunje

O

n Monday, November 5, 2018, reality dawned on the Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, that the task of ruling the state in his second term would not only be herculean but burdensome.

It was the day he realised that he inherited a totally decayed government owing to the abandonment of some of the flagship projects that could catapult Ekiti State’s economic fortunes to enviable height by the administration of Ayodele Fayose.

That day, Governor Fayemi started by touring project sites across the state particularly, those he initiated during his first term and where he had invested humongous state funds for better economic activation and to also buoy the internally generated revenue.

In this voyage of good governance, the first port of call was the Ikogosi Warm Spring in Ikogosi Ekiti, where his administration sank over N2 billion to modernise to 21st-century tourist attraction site and had become a cash cow for the state before his exit in 2014.

In actual fact, what the governor saw was devastating and this reflected in his countenance. During the inspection, Fayemi nearly burst into tears seeing the relics and highly dilapidated chalets, modern halls and amphitheatre as well as the wooden walkway built to the warm and cold spring site already collapsed.

To make matter worse, a portion of the sprawling building had already been overgrown by weeds while a section of the palatial site had been taken over by reptiles.

In his first term in 2010, Fayemi inherited many uncompleted projects from the administration of Segun Oni from where he began to lay the foundation for good governance by injecting continuity into his dealings. In spite of the preponderance of uncompleted projects, he never met a hugely deteriorated system as it is now. The fact that former Governor Oni started where governance ended when he took over actually eased governance for the succeeding governments.

Other abandoned project sites visited were the 12,000-capacity Ekiti Parapo Pavilion, Ire Burnt Brick in Ire Ekiti, Truck Park in Omuo Ekiti, Arinta Waterfall in Ipole Iloro, the ultra-modern Oja Oba market in Ado Ekiti, Ureje Dam Resort Centre, ROMACO Company in Igbemo Ekiti, Fountain Hotel, Adunni Olayinka Civic Centre and the prestigious Fountain Hotels, an otherwise beautiful boutique hotel, among others.

With these sordid and worrisome sights, it was clear that Fayemi has a lot of things to contend with before his second term can be deemed to be rewarding. It was instructive for him to buckle up and settle down to governance early, rather than delving into political issues or taking vindictive actions that could constitute a mere distraction to his administration.

The governor too was not oblivious of the foregoing and that was why he said “The purpose of this assessment is not even to pass blame or cast aspersion on anybody, it is to just see what the officials have told me during the briefing by MDAs. I did not want to go by what the MDAs had told me, that is why I am out to examine all

these things myself and to form my own judgment about how our state has been governed and what we need to do to ensure that never again should we subject our state to people, who neither know anything about governance nor development.”

When Fayose assumed office, he spoke more like a leader who was ready to forgive everybody. He even appointed those who worked for his impeachment in 2006 into sensitive positions. He sermonised about peace and forgiveness and this really stabilised his administration.

But he derailed the moment he saw persecution through the frivolous probe of Fayemi as an option to win the July 14 succession battle. He was derailed at the twilight of his administration. This accounted for why many of his projects like Oja Oba could not be completed before exiting government.

Without mincing words, the task to returning Ekiti to the path of glory is a daunting one and rescuing the state from this decay would require a lot of concentration and dedication and Fayemi himself was aware of this.

Fayemi used ‘Reclaiming Our Land, Restoring our Values’ as his political slogan for his reelection in 2018.

This connotes that he already had a premonition about the nature of the bumpy path he was preparing to navigate and he has to hit the ground running to portray him as walking the talk.

There had been a serious exchange of tirades between the governor and Fayose over some issues and time to cut off from such unwarranted engagement is now to avert unnecessary distraction that could cause disappointment and inability to meet people’s expectations.

Though the act of governance is a serious business and Fayemi expressing open feelings about the dilapidated states of the projects he initiated eight years ago was not out of place. But observers believe this must be done with caution and tact.

Probably as someone, who believes in continuity in government, Fayemi expressed anger and disappointment in his predecessor over the abandonment of these legacy projects, describing it as a flagrant and brazen destruction of the Ekiti heritage. The governor said the Ekiti revenue would have gone up astronomically if these sources had been harnessed to an optimal level.

“I want to express my anger with what I have seen here today. I am really upset. You all witnessed the spate of development there in 2014. You knew the patronage this facility was enjoying. What I met here today, to me, is a destruction of the Ekiti heritage; destruction of our commonwealth. It was unfortunate that our government had become so careless to allow this major tourist attraction and revenue earner for Ekiti to destroy and decay.

“This could have been avoided if the last government had maintained the facilities therein because it involved Ekiti’s money. It is not only the leadership that was culpable; the management of this place too should be held accountable, though I agree that leadership defines everything. Now, everything is in shambles.

“But my belief has been that a major tourist attraction like this shouldn’t be left in the hands of government alone to manage. Apart from the fact that the facilities in this resort had damaged, the roads to this place are impassable, particularly the Aramoko-Erinjiyan-Ikogosi

road. Half of the 110 rooms in this resort are not habitable, this is unacceptable to us.

“I can’t because of politics cancel the Gifted Academy in Afao Ekiti, I can’t demolish the flyover and the new governor’s office built by the past administration. I can only improve on them and that is what governance is all about.

The projects of this state belong to the generality of Ekiti people and not to the governors and every government must neither abandon them nor allow them to destroy just because they are not the initiators,” he said.

Knowing full well that the ball was in his court and that he must strategise to bail the state out of the quagmire and set Ekiti on the path of economic recovery, Fayemi expressed the resolve of his administration to hand off all commercial ventures of the state to professionals.

“All these things, we are going to fix, but it is important for Ekiti people to know the type of leadership that just left office in our state because these facilities were in full operation when I was governor up to the last day I spent in the office.

“These facilities were one of the most sought after for use because it is attached to the hall that provides a very good use for public and then the 110 rooms that are here are always almost fully booked. So, for me to see it in this state, I just ask myself: it’s not rocket science to manage public property.

“You really need to think of yourself. How do you manage your own property at home? At the last time I checked, governor Fayose manages his private properties very well, so, it means that public properties mean nothing to him, that is why he would allow this to be destroyed like this.

“We would revive them. We would rejuvenate the Fountain Hotel and then let it out to professionals to manage. What this also proves is that we really need to get government out of managing commercial ventures in our state, because the government would come and go, but the properties would still be here, and they are legacy properties. All of us should see them as a source of pride to Ekiti people. Most people who came to Ekiti about one decade ago – this is probably the only hotel they would know. But look at this place now; this is a shadow of itself. This is a ghost town.”

However, Fayose didn’t take the vitriolic comment with equanimity. The former governor’s Media Aide, Lere Olayinka advised Fayemi to face governance and stop wailing. He said Fayemi must be abreast of the fact that he has a very limited time to spend and should devote his time and resources to things that the people of Ekiti can point to as his achievements after the mandate that was stolen for him might have been retrieved.

“Ikogosi Resort was never abandoned. Rather, what the Fayose government did was to first hand it over to a private company to manage and when the company left because it was unable to meet up with the expected revenue, the government put machinery in motion to seek private investors to take over the resort. “As at the time we left government, no private investor had shown interest and rather than making noise, Fayemi should continue from where we stopped by intensifying efforts to seek investors to manage the Ikogosi Resort because there is nowhere in the world where

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PERSPECTIVE

As Amosun Reflects On His Tenure Soyombo Opeyemi

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or the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Thursday, November 29, 2018 was significant. It marked his seven and a half years in the saddle of the leadership of Ogun State.

While speaking with newsmen, Amosun, in a subdued emotion, reflected on the seven and a half years’ journey. He knew his days as governor would soon be over.

The atmosphere is perfumed with politics but Amosun is consumed with passion for development.

He spent the day inspecting some legacy projects in company of some investors, including Chief Tayo Amusan of the popular Shoprite, who told newsmen how the governor mounted pressure on him to come and invest in his home state. Amosun often calls up on phone ‘sons of the soil’ to come home and invest. A massive state-of-the-art specialist General Hospital is under construction just like the first-class Judiciary Complex.

If Ambassador Chris Cooter, then Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, had accompanied us as we moved from one construction site to the other on Thursday, he would have recalled his memorable words on April 14, 2013: “The Governor has been emphasizing that his administration is very particular about hard work... I look at the construction going on, definitely, I am impressed. It is going to transform the state, no doubt. Whether it is canal, the road network, health or education, clearly, I can see a demonstration of the ‘can do attitude’. I have not been to a state where people are working quite as hard as this one, and I have been in most of them now...”

Today, there is Shoprite in Ota while that of the City Centre in Abeokuta is under construction (more about the City Centre in the future). Over 700 companies have berthed in Ogun in the last seven and a half years. Nearly half of these are hundreds of millions of dollars investments, generating massive direct and indirect employment.

Ogun State under Amosun attained its peak in recent memory when it attracted 70 per cent of Foreign Direct Investment in the manufacturing sector in Nigeria into the state, according to the report of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria. Ogun State did not become the industrial hub of Nigeria because of its proximity to Lagos. Ogun has always shared borders with Lagos and Republic of Benin for ages. How come the state suddenly became the investors’

Amosun destination of choice?

Yes, “A loss for Lagos is Ogun’s gain” as Financial Times puts it. That’s true in terms of limited land in Lagos. But companies do no go to any place without first counting the cost. Will my business be safe and secure? Is there a market for my products? What about infrastructure, tax regime, ease of doing business in general?

Amosun did not fold his arms such that it is the proximity to Lagos that turned Ogun to investors’ destination of choice.

He fought insecurity to standstill in 2012.

Businesses, as we know, are cowards. Companies now run shift rather than closing before nightfall as a result of insecurity, as was the case before the current government was inaugurated.

At the first Ogun State Investors’ Forum in 2012, the governor announced various rebates and ease of land acquisition for genuine investors.

It’s now easy to set up a business in Ogun. This much led to a global recognition for the state by the World Bank. The establishment of One-Stop-Shop seems to cap the efforts at marketing Ogun State to investors who detest having to move from one government agency to the other - endlessly - in order to establish their businesses.

Much has been written on the huge investment of the government in infrastructure - road, power, housing, etc.

The Biennial Investors’ Forum and Annual Breakfast Meeting with Investors have played a major role in the industrial leap of the state, transforming it to the current centre of attraction for investments. As it happens, the 2016 piece, “Industrialists’ Vote of Confidence in Ogun State” seems to have become prophetic.

“It was the Breakfast Meeting with the Organised Private Sector. For days I remained in thrall to this wonder. It was simply mind-boggling, exhilarating. Even Managing Directors of some blue chip companies almost could not secure seats. I am not a prophet. Indeed, you do not need any power of prognosis or gift of clairvoyance to know that the breakfast event reveals that Ogun State will sooner than later industrially attain a larger than life image and bulge at the seams by the sheer number of industries that will compete for space in its domains.”

Politics is in the air, one must reckon. But even the worst political enemy of Amosun believes he has played his allotted part in the advancement of the state and will bow out of office in six months’ time holding his head high.

–––Soyombo, media aide to Ogun State governor, sent this piece via densityshow@yahoo.com.

Pastor Adeboye Promises Turnaround of Lives at RCCG Congress Bisi Daniels

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illions of people from around the world will from Monday pour into the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for this year ’s Congress with the theme “Glory Ahead.”

The six-day inter-church event starts on Monday, December 3 and ends on Saturday December 8.

The church has strong presence in 197 countries around the world, from where members are expected to attend the Congress.

This year’s Congress is the 21st in the series, having started in 1998 in Lekki with a massive attendance that nearly brought Lagos to a standstill. Many people walked long distances to and from the event because it was faster to do so than the use of cars and busses. Many more who couldn’t get to the venue resorted to the radio to get the message.

Since then, attendance has continued to surge, partly the reason the church had to build a new three-kilometre-by-three-kilometre auditorium called, The New Arena, to seat about six million people.

The old auditorium, also at the Camp, with seats about three million people is expected to be full next week. So, will viewing centres at the various parishes of the church in at least 197 countries.

Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer RCCG Worldwide says of this year’s Congress: “I assure you in the name of the one who is Pastor Adeboye called the King of Glory and the source of all Israel went onward in all their that is truly glorious that your life will never be the journeys.” same after this Congress.”

He prophesized “By the reason of the Congress, He explains that, “When God showed a little of His you shall move forward in Jesus Name,”.

Glory to Moses, his face shown so brightly that people Pastor Adeboye will be leading dozens of other could not get close to him. He had to wear a veil to ministers of God from all over the world. cover his face. Moses’ life was never the same again.

To handle the huge congregation without any “When also the cloud descended, the Glory of incident, the organizers have made efforts to ensure the Lord filled the tabernacle; and when the cloud the safety and comfort of all worshipers. Power and was taken up from the tabernacle, the children of

water supplies have witnessed significant improvements over the years.

Also, traffic flow into, within and out of the Camp has improved in recent years due to the work of the mission’s logistics unit called “Team Nehemiah.”

An achievement of the church, which is often kept silent is its ability to feed millions of worshippers, many of who are provided accommodation.

Giving more insight of the programme, an official said, “The Congress is strictly a spiritual event with focus on the faithfulness and goodness of God manifested in the Redemption plan accomplished by Jesus on the Cross.

“There shall be morning, afternoon and evening sessions during the six-day programme.

The programme shall kick off on Monday December 3 with an evening session expected to last from 6.00 p.m. to about midnight.

He added that, there shall be six evening sessions (Monday – Saturday) while the afternoon sessions run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Morning sessions run from Wednesday to Saturday and feature talks and prayers followed by personal ministrations while the afternoon sessions are devoted to teaching and sharing of experiences by accomplished professionals and ministers of God in various areas of human endeavour including marriage, business, ministry and healthy living. “The evening events constitute the main plenary sessions with ministration of the word led by Pastor Adeboye, personal and intercessory prayers,” the official stressed.

The Congress has always also been characterized by miracles, signs and wonders; and the anointing of mantles like handkerchiefs, which believers have used for healing miracles and even raising the dead.

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Í°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś Ëž THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL Security, Human Trafficking and International Law: The Conflict between National Interest and Inhumanity

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he Nigerian Society of International Law (NSIL) held its 41st Annual Conference on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Security, Human Trafficking and International Lawâ&#x20AC;? on Thursday, 22nd and Friday 23rd November, 2018 at the Great Benin Prestige Hotel, Benin City, Edo State. Mr. Godwin Noghaghase Obaseki, Governor of Edo State, who by virtue of this position, is one of the Patrons of the NSIL, played host to the conference. He was represented at the conference by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Professor (Mrs) Yinka Omorogbe, who also was the First Vice President and newly elected President of the Society.

The conference was structured into three main parts: Taslim Elias Moot Court Competition, working sessions, and Annual General Assembly. The moot court competition took place on the sidelines of the working sessions and was specially organised in honour of the late Professor Michael Ayodele Ajomo, former president of the NSIL. True, the moot competition was quite interesting for many reasons: First, it is a moot. The actors are not real. Secondly, four universities participated in the concluding stage of the competition and they all showed very scholarly competence.

The contesting institutions are University of Uyo, whose team was led by their lecturer, Essang Edemunoh Asuquo, A.E. Nkereuwem Akpabio and Aniekan Emmanuel Udo-Okon, who led the arguments; Afe Babalola University, led by Hillary Okweguali, the lecturer, and James Favour Nkiru and Ukomadu Chijioke, the debaters; University of Ilorin, led by Dr. Azubike Onuora-Oguno, the lecturer, Opeoluwa Sanni and Haroon Ibrahim, the debaters; and Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, led by Emmanuel Aigbe, lecturer, Omonhe Jennifer Osedebamen and Fasika Ayomikun Samuel, the debaters).

It is assumed that there is a dispute between the Republic of Belia and Republic of Akeria and the moot court was required to look into the misunderstanding. The court was presided over by Honourable Justice Oluwakayode-Ola Ogunjobi, Justice of the High Court, Lagos Judiciary. Dr. Debo Olagunju and Dr. Asikia Karibi-Whyte were other two members of the moot court. The issues for determination by the court were: whether Akeria is in violation of the international law on the basis of the rule of pacta sunt servanda; whether the agreement of 1975 concerning migrant workers is not binding on Akeria; whether the Boundria Declaration of 1975 is binding on Akeria; whether Akeria is in breach of the Constitutive Act of the African Union; whether Akeria is in breach of customary international law of uti possidetis juris; and whether the measures taken by the Government of Belia, its agents and/or representatives on the Islands of Isakab are not in violation of international law.

For purposes of objectivity, the four contestants were not identified by the names of their universities. They were simply identified as Team 1 (Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma), Team 2 (University of Afe Babalola, Ado Ekiti), Team 3 (University of Uyo), and Team 4 (University of Ilorin). There were two preliminary debates and the four teams were divided into two groups for purposes of convenience. In the two preliminaries, Team 3 obtained 912 points, followed by Team 4 with 818 points, Team 2 with 754 points and Team 1 with 697 points.

In terms of memorials, Team 4 led with 154 points, followed by Team 3 with 152 points, Team 2 with 139 points, and Team 1, with 132 points. In overall total points, Team 1 was the 4th best (Ekpoma) with 829 points. Team 2 (ABUAD) was 3rd best with 893 points. Team 4 (Ilorin) was second best. Team 3 (Uyo) was the best of the best and the winner, with 1,064 points.

Regarding the working sessions, the theme of discussion was structured into four sub-themes: security implications of international migration; investigation and prosecution of international crimes; human trafficking and armed conflict; and human rights implication of human trafficking. What is obvious as a challenge to be addressed in the four sub-themes are international migration, international crimes, and human trafficking.

Explained differently, how do we relate the problems of international migration, international crimes and human trafficking to international law, and particularly to human rights? This question reminds one of the slaughtering of a Saudi Arabian journalist, Kashoggi in the diplomatic premises of Saudi Arabia in Turkey, more specifically, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. The killing of any journalist is abnormality and most unacceptable. If a journalist dies by accident, or killed during the exercise of his or her duty, God is there to forgive.

However, if a journalist holds an opinion, favourable or not to Government, and he is not only killed, but killed very brutally, questions must be raised on the essence and extent of relevance of the

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

Prof. Omorogbe so-called press freedom, democratic ethos, freedom of speech and the right to hold an opinion. This is because the mere holding of an opinion can be antagonising and can warrant brutality of reaction.

This is not only the case with Kashoggi but also with international migrants, especially the illegal ones, and with the victims of human trafficking.

The NSIL focused much attention on the protection of human rights within the context of human trafficking, armed conflicts, international migration and in the processes of investigation and prosecution of crimes. Without doubt, the issues generated much debate and interest. In this regard, the first day witnessed discussions on the first two sub-themes: security implications of international migration and investigation and prosecution of international crimes.

In the two working sessions of the first day, issues of inhumanity, especially within the framework of human trafficking, were raised.

In recognition of the menace that human trafficking constitutes, Professor Yinka Omorogbe has it that Governor Godwin Obaseki established on August 15, 2017 the Edo State Taskforce Against Human Trafficking (ETAHT), which is also chaired by Professor Omorogbe.

The ETAHT adopted a four-pronged operational methodology: welcoming of returnees, intensive advocacy programmes, vigorous investigation and prosecution, and studying and tackling the cultural and psychological-embedded root causes.

Amongst the objectives of the ETAHT are the need to actively combat this scourge, pass a state law against trafficking in humans, adopt measures to aid understanding of the nature and causes of the menace. And true enough, the ETAHT has welcomed more than 4000 returnees from Libya, passed the Edo State Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Law, held several Town Hall meetings to create awareness about the ills of irregular migration and what is to be trafficked, and engaged in data collection from both the traffickers and the persons trafficked.

One important observation made by Professor Yinka Omorogbe was the report of the IOM that, in the first half of 2018, 2,225 irregular migrants arrived in Italy. The three top countries of origin of the migrants were Tunisia, Eritrea, and Nigeria.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The IOM report also has

One important observation made by Professor Yinka Omorogbe was the report of the IOM that, in the ďŹ rst half of 2018, 2,225 irregular migrants arrived in Italy. The three top countries of origin of the migrants were Tunisia, Eritrea, and Nigeria.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;The IOM report also has it that there were more than 10,000 deportations of stranded migrants from Libya since the beginning of the second half of 2017 with so many casualties, and that 60% of this ďŹ gure are from Edo State. This revelation cannot but partly explain the interest and commitment of the Edo State government in seeking an enduring solution to the menace of human trafďŹ cking and illegal migration

it that there were more than 10,000 deportations of stranded migrants from Libya since the beginning of the second half of 2017 with so many casualties, and that 60% of this figure are from Edo State. This revelation cannot but partly explain the interest and commitment of the Edo State government in seeking an enduring solution to the menace of human trafficking and illegal migration.

In the keynote address given by Honourable Justice Esohe Frances Ikponmwen, FCJEI, FICMI, the Chief Judge of Edo State, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;human trafficking is generally understood to refer to the process through which individuals are placed or maintained in an exploitative situation for economic gain. Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights that mainly affects women and children. It is a threat to both national security and human security. It also undermines sustainable development and the rule of law. Along with drug trafficking and arms dealing, human trafficking has been described as one of the most profitable crimes in the world.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The issue of brutality can be appreciated by noting that human trafficking is said to be one of the most profitable crimes in the world.

The appreciation will still be better if it is also borne in mind that trafficked persons or victims of brutality are all entitled to enjoyment of human rights whenever they are outside their country. But how do we explain the enjoyment of human rights in the context of human trafficking?

There are many types of human trafficking: sex trafficking, child sex trafficking, trafficking in human organs, forced labour or involuntary servitude, debt bondage which is about forcing an individual to work in order to settle a debt. In this regard, Dr. Ademola A. Taiwo of the Babcock University, did not only reveal in his paper that 51% of identified victims of trafficking are women, 28% are children and 21% are men, that 72% of the people exploited in the sex industry are women, that 63% of identified traffickers were men and 37% are women, and that 43% of victims are trafficked domestically within national borders, but also that Nigeria is a major root of human trafficking. As he noted, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;the States that produce victims of the scourge are AkwaIbom, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ebonyi, Kano, Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; What is perhaps more problematic about the foregoing is the observation of the Edo State Chief Judge. She has noted that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;many states have introduced laws criminalising human trafficking but prosecutions are rare. Even when offenders are convicted, it is unusual for victims to be compensated. Where victims are compensated, extremely low sums are awarded that are not proportionate to the magnitude of the harm suffered.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; She also added that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;anti-trafficking laws are problematic to enforce because victims of trafficking are hesitant to identify traffickers for fear of repercussion. Since trafficking is a crime that transcends borders and therefore jurisdictions applying international law to a person who resides in another state is a costly and complex endeavour.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Asecond problem addressed during the working sessions is the question of investigation and prosecution of international crimes. Dr. Ernest O. Ugbeje of the Open University of Nigeria, identified the challenges as including difficulties in mutual legal assistance, especially in the area of evidence gathering (details of foreign bank account statements of relevant witnesses, etc; Lack of Diligent Prosecution, especially in terms of poor drafting of charges and preferring of many charges; political influence and interference; lack of independence; immunity and lack of political will.

Dr. Kenneth Uzor Eze, Head of the Academy Advancement Unit of the Nigeria Police Academy, also raised the dimension of cybercrime and noted that a person can only commit a crime in the country where he is physically present, meaning that jurisdiction in investigating can only also take place in that same place of physical presence. However, a cybercrime is a unique crime in that it may be committed in country Awhile being physically present in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home, country C. Perhaps more disturbingly, the brutality with which illegal migrants are faced were discussed as raised in Professor Bola A. Akinterinwaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paper. The trafficking in human organs was also raised by Dr. Pedi Obani and Dr. Hadiza O. Okunrobo in their papers.

The Global Commission on International migration (GCIM) has it that there are about 200 million migrants the world over, 60% of whom reside in the developed world while the other 40% live in the developing countries. In this regard, the GCIM also has it that one of every ten people living in the developed world is a migrant. If this is admittedly so, it should therefore be borne in mind that migrants are human beings who have their mania of living before migrating to another country, who have to adapt to another cultural way of living on arriving at their new host state, and who following arrival, can infringe on local laws on the basis of psychology of human differences or even contribute to societal development in their host countries.

From the foregoing therefore, international migration cannot but be a critical issue in international law and relations, impinging on inter-personal relationships and on global peace and security in many ways. The importance of international migration can be gleaned from the perspective that it is one of the major issues that also explains in part the controversial Brexit policy in the United Kingdom as at today.

In the same vein, one major headache with which the incumbent President of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump, is also faced is international migration.

And perhaps more notably, the cardinal objective of migration is not only security but also means of security. It is an anti-terrorism measure. Most unfortunately, however, the environment of migration is globally insecure. Its operational modalities are also insecurityengendered, hence the growing anti-migration sentiments in many countries of the world.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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THISDAYt SUNDAY DECEMBER 2, 2018

ATIKU 4 PRESIDENT 2019 The Policy Document Tells The Whole Story

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nbundling of NNPC & Other Investments, thereby creating jobs, at least, for 2.5 Million Nigerians Yearly.

RESTRUCTURING & increasing STATES’ Internally Generated Revenue alongside matching GRANTS. “No other candidate has the capacity to address these challenges like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar under whose watch as Chairman of the National Council on Privatization Nigeria had their highest growth in Job numbers” - THE ECONOMIST. The Change Agenda only resulted in a loss of over Six Million jobs - National Bureau of Statistics; today they are starved of funds to enable them update their figures which are far higher!

Over Ten Billion US dollars borrowed in a little over 3 Years. Budget performance, even when benchmark of crude $51 was in excess as high at $80 per barrel, even though it’s $60 as at today, it’s still beyond the bench mark , and is less than 50% in capital projects.

Budget of 2019 is same as preceding years we are yet to get a clean copy of approved medium term expenditure framework talk less of submission & consideration by the National Assembly.

86.9M Nigerians living in Extreme Poverty making Nigeria, Poverty Capital of the world. HSBC & UBS, the latest multinationals to withdraw their offices from Nigeria. $1.7B to $1.2B drop in Foreign Direct Investment according to CBN, making a further drop of $500M in the last quarter. Our Grand Corruption index has become legendary with withdrawal of N5.8B from the consolidated funds which belong to the 3-tier of government without approval of the National Assembly thereby violating section 80 sub section 4 of our constitution.

N33B total money misappropriated instead of being used for IDP camps in the North EAST. 400 Million demurrage Paid by NEMA. 272.2 Million duty paid by Ministry of Agriculture for Expired Rice Donated by China, 6.779 metric tons of rice which is 162,696 bags of rice Donated since June 2017.

Total number of foreign Banks that have left Nigeria since June 2015 is 8 (EIGHT).

Inflation is still at 11.28% thereby accelerating the MISERY index which is an indication of Hyper Inflation & Unemployment in the country. Naira further depreciated to N370 to a USD. OTE A

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AAA Strategic Communication Team @Kennyokolugbo, @Bodeg40

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R Ëž ECEMBER 2, 2018

SUNDAYINTERVIEW

Government Must Keep Its Deal With ASUU Ă?Ă&#x161;Ă&#x;Ă&#x17E;ĂŁ Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă?Ě&#x2039; Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E; Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;ĂŁ Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ë&#x153; Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2122;Ă?Ë&#x203A; Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ë&#x153; Ă&#x17D;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2013;Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2014;Ă? Ă&#x161;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E; Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x152;Ă?Ă&#x17E;ĂĄĂ?Ă?Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17D;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;ĘĽ Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2122; Ě&#x161; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2122;Ă Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2014;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ë&#x153; ĂĄĂ&#x2019;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă&#x153; Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă? Ě&#x2122; Ě&#x161; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x;Ă?Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x161;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; ĂĄĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x2022;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x153; Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x17E;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ă&#x161;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013; Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x;Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2014; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2018;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E;Ă?Ă&#x153;Ă Ă&#x201C;Ă?ĂĄ ĂĄĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019; NDUKA NWOSU

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hatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your take on the constant face-off between the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) and the federal government?

The issues are very simple to me. It is very easy. One problem that is giving you concern year in, year out is not a celestial but a human problem. Bring the egg heads together and let us reason these things out. Okay you have agreed to do the following and you have not done them, take a timeline of what needs to be done and when. Take a professorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salary as an example. Governor Fayemi recently said his salary was less than that of a professor by N500.00. That is a fallacy because governors have what they call security vote that runs into billions of naira; they have all manner of allowances and virtually control the state treasury. A professor has no vote like governors and is not entitled to what a governor has. What is expected of those in power is to provide the teaching staff what it has promised to. You are not providing for them and that is why we are failing. If the government wants to increase staff salary by engaging with them and reviewing the timelines, that is no problem. Government can have an engagement with the labour unions and there would be no need for strikes once the reviews are tenured to timelines say every three, four or five years. Once both parties, government in particular, keep to their part of the deal there would be no strikes.

If you are convinced the university staff or any worker for that matter is entitled to a good comfortable life such as good medical care, school fees for the children and a roof over their heads, the problem is solved. According to a former Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Jelili Adebisi Omotola, if you provide a university staff with a roof over his head, 75 percent of his problems are solved. I agree with him. We need to build model houses for various workers in the country. That is what is done in advanced countries including Dubai. Since land is limited, build high rises and let people own houses.

A salary of N18,000 is a licence for the workers to be thieves. A man with a wife and four children living on a salary of N18,000 has been consigned to death and cannot live within the Lagos metropolis. He would go outside to Shagamu to live and come to Lagos to work with all the traffic jams. Such a person cannot live long. The point I am making is that the university must sit with the government to solve societal problems.

If Government is serious it can stop these incessant strikes through a constructive engagement of the Labour unions. The government must keep to its deal with the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU). The same applies to its deal with the Nigerian worker. Conditions of work can be reviewed periodically based on economic indicators which are easy to determine and through constructive engagements with Nigerian workers. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need strikes to start before negotiations are done. Take the case of the NLC and the TUC. How can anyone live in this country with N30, 000.00? The leaders of NLC and TUC as far as I am concerned are not serious.

I had expected that this time around they would have weighed in on the bogus budgets, corrupt and wasteful spending of our collective commonwealth by the gatekeepers right from the top to the bottom of governance- the executive, the governors, members of the National Assembly and other arms of government such as the MDAs and their executives. Salaries must be commensurate with what the economy can carry. The salaries being paid to those in government and politics are humongous.

Such things as security votes for governors must be taken off as well as their large retinue of staff which must be largely reduced while the constituency projects should be scrapped. The money from these outlets can pay the civil servants on very comfortable salaries and other emoluments.

Elsewhere people are proud to be civil servants, not waiting to collect contracts because they are well paid. N30,000 is what governors are saying they cannot pay. Labour unions must fight their fight. Let me restate that the fight from the labour unions should have started with the insistence on reviewing how our collective commonwealth is appropriated by a few in the name of budgets that do not impact positively on the lives of the people because of corruption which manifests itself in various ways. No governor who has ruled a state for eight years and sat on its budget should ever be entitled to this bogey called severance package. Most of them did nothing except paint buildings and buy motorbikes called empowerment and mass transit provision. Is mass transit a Hiace bus in developed economies? It is an insult on the intelligence of the people and this goes on all the time.

We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need rocket science to solve the problem of Medicare in this country. Those known as NHIS collect money they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remit to those providing the services. There must be checks and

Oghojafor

will take this university to the nearest level of human endeavour because all our students would have to be creative irrespective of their discipline. The idea is not to just prepare students for employment but to prepare students as employers of labour in the society and in addition to that, every research grant must be relevant to the human capital development, which is relevant to the society and the people who make it up. For example under the administration of the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ogundipe, there is an attempt to make lecturers comfortable; they should not be living in a state of denial. One way of achieving this is to leave your comfort zone of academic pursuit and venture out into the society to make a living to augment your earnings because one stream of income is totally insufficient for any human being who wants to survive and live well.

So the VCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive is on how we can leverage on the gains of the past and take this university to the next level and I must say the 25 years strategic plan put in place for this university is the first of its kind and was followed by the immediate past VC. Everything that is going on right now under the current vice-chancellor is in line with the policy plan. We are also trying to bring knowledge to people wherever they find themselves. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to come to the university to have a university education. We are into blackboard for interactive knowledge impartation. In fact, the essence of the VCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leadership is impacting knowledge positively on our students including the orientation of our value system of students and staff irrespective of whatever they are.

I just had a discussion with him that even the unskilled workers who are here can be encouraged to do extra jobs. Take for instance the element of waste which can be turned to wealth only after a value is added to it. Here in the university we are working to convert waste to wealth. Used plastics can be converted to more productive ends by turning them to fiber as a raw material which with additional inputs can become an end user product. An example is the ladyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hairs some of which are the by-products of plastics.

Plastics can be used in road construction and we are trying to develop a machine in the Department of Chemical Engineering, where the plastics are crushed, with value added for purposes of commercialization.

We are financially driven and competitive in the global community with the hope that before the end of the VCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenure our international rating would have gone up, higher than we met it and through the collective effort of all stakeholders such as the graduates of the university and all parents who have children in the university, et al.

We shall leverage on our unique positioning at the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria to create linkages with all foreign embassies in the country and all other agencies that we can contact as much as possible

NIGERIA balances because the money is supposed to fund the hospitals so that they will be able to purchase needed equipment. We need a mixed grill of transportation. We need more bridges and alternative ways of transportation. Waterways transportation must be developed in addition to metro-line transportation to make life better for the people.

How much research goes on at the University of Lagos?

The University of Lagos was established by an Act of Parliament in 1962 to provide the needed manpower for the emerging democracy of Nigeria and its Republican status in 1963. It was more of operational programmes. However, because of the quest for education by Nigeria, the operational content was diluted with the inclusion of other programmes to ensure the university existed and lived up to its expectation of teaching, research and community service. As time went by the faculties were created around 1978 or thereabouts because the schools that were in existence at the time like the Schools of Business and Social Studies emerged as autonomous units or faculties.

At that time the different units created could not function because of the dwindling Nigerian economy and limited funds made available to the universities. However, during the tenure of Professor Rahman Adisa Bello, the need for such academic centres became more germane and in 2016 through the institutionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affiliation with the African Universities Research Association (ARUA), centres were created and the World Bank recognised us as a centre of excellence in Mass communication, one of the best you can find in the world.

The current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Temitope Ogundipe, has as the cornerstone of his administration the creation of centres to solve societal problems, centres to bring town and gown together for the mutual benefit of Nigeria as a country and the global village as a whole. His emphasis is on research that solves human problems rather than the solution to basic science problems. So our Centre for Housing is up and running, there is the Centre for Nigeria and China Studies recently launched, the Centre for Herbal Medicine and Allied Discipline will cut across all areas of human endeavour in this university. We bid for it through the World Bank and we are sure of getting it. You have other centres in science, we have the Centre for Entrepreneurship which ensures the extra soft skills required for the employment of our graduates are given to them before graduation.

The university is established to teach the concept, the construct and theories relevant to the various areas of calling. However, you need extra skill sense or set to live through life better than you would have been without them. The idea is to separate the green from the shaft, which is why the Experience Centre has also been created.

We have the Hub and the Abash centres being currently installed.

We are also trying to install the Innovation Hub whose foundation stone was laid by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The Hub of Innovation

Why are the key institutions in the country taking the back seat of the rating agencies while the relatively private universities like Covenant are very much ahead?

When you prepare an old woman for a beauty contest, it would involve a lot of funds. The U.I. and Unilag are old universities with old infrastructure whose maintenance costs are very high. At a time WebMatrix, the online rating agency and similar organisations placed us on a high scale. It is a different story now because the problems we face here are not the same other countries face. Here access to bandwidth is a very genuine, pivotal problem. It has limited the activities of the National Universities Commission in their attempt to bring everybody under the same umbrella. It became cumbersome and it ended there. Each university is trying to improve on its bandwidth with the attendant problems.

These agencies donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you ahead they are coming to rate your university. They can go into your website to assess you and if there is no power, how would they rate you? How would they assess the papers of those who are in the institution without access to the website? The world has become a global village. The world has become such you can interact with everyone in the comfort of your home. The ideal thing is for students to work, interact and read their books everywhere they go within the country and outside but when the internet access is limited or shut off that possibility becomes an issue. The problems are hydra-headed but we are tackling them. Main One is helping in the area of bandwidth and Wahoo the Chinese company is coming on-board.

2019

What advantage do you have over the private universities and vice versa?

Covenant University came high in rating this time around. If the money the students pay is given to the University of Lagos to manage, we would do better in terms of facilities provided. At Covenant the facilities are available.

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

DECEMBER 2, 2018 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

SOCIALMEDIABITS Last week on social media, the Police got a raise, Oby Ezekwesili threw down the gauntlet and Lai Mohammed ‘cautioned’ the US...

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residential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, trended on Twitter last week, by design and by chance. It started off with the double celebration of his 72nd birthday and the conferment of the chieftaincy title Wazirin Adamawa on him at the start of the week.

By the end of the week, his name was again prominent in the news but this time, through no choice of his. Rather, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, in a chat with newsmen, suggested that the APC-led federal government wouldn’t appreciate it if the United States issues a visa to Atiku.

In Mohammed’s estimation (and by extension, the federal government’s), allowing Atiku to visit the US could be viewed as tacit endorsement of

his candidacy, an interesting position, considering that the APC has for months, dared Atiku to travel to the US if he can.

This hasn’t escaped the notice of commentators on social media. Surely, the APC is about to get what it has always hoped for and wanted, right?

The Police was also in the news at different times in the week for good, bad and a downright ugly scene.

As the week started, President Muhammadu Buhari announced an enhanced salary package, regretting that the inability of the police to perform its role as the frontline force against prevention of crime had led to military involvement in the maintenance of law Cont’d on pg 81

with DEMOLA OJO demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

DECEMBER 2 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

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SOCIALMEDIABITS and order.

In an unrelated occurrence, a police officer with the notorious Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad (FSARS) shot and killed a LASTMA official who pulled him over for a traffic offence in Lagos.

The policeman was subsequently beaten to death by an irate mob, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police, Abayomi Shogule, who said he’ll be tried posthumously and dismissed.

In Abuja, the Police arrested a government critic, Deji Adeyanju and two others, during a peaceful protest which ironically, was against police bias in the political process.

Their charge sheet is long but within it are ‘offenses’ like criminal conspiracy, defamation of character, threat to public security, derogatory conduct against constituted authority and more.

Among the exhibits presented by the police were from social media; Adeyanju’s Facebook page.

There is a clamour for his release, with the government accused of intolerance and repressing citizens’ rights to free speech.

Among those calling for him to be set free are presidential aspirants, Fela Durotoye and Oby Ezekwesili. The latter

also lent her voice to another ‘crusade’; she insists that all candidates aspiring to be president should participate in a debate.

This should help in separating those who have a clue from those with effective social media handlers.

Which brings one to the Nigerian Army, which has in recent times taken to social media to debunk ‘erroneous’ reportage on the war with insurgents in the North east of the country.

In the process of mixing it up with the civilian populace, it has had to field numerous questions and not all are related to the war against terrorists. For example, how come the Nigerian Army emblem has its message inscribed in Arabic and not English?

It’s December and in the spirit of the season, some personalities are being charitable. APC governorship candidate in Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-olu might not be wishing his PDP rival, Jimi Agbaje, victory in the forthcoming elections, but he wishes him well, he says.

And actor Richard Mofe Damijo revealed on Instagram that he would soon be frolicking on billionaire businessman Femi Otedola’s Sunseeker yacht because it has been graciously offered to him whenever he needs it.

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Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ë? Olawale Olaleye Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2013;Ë? ĂĄĂ&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă?Ë&#x203A; Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă?ĂŁĂ?ĚśĂ&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2039;ĂŁĂ&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ë&#x203A;Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;

House of Representatives in session

From the Parliament, a Dedication to Enwerem The 10th anniversary of the passing of a former Senate President, Evans Enwerem, held in the week and was characterised by a gale of defections at both chambers of the National Assembly, report Deji Elumoye and Shola Oyeyipo

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t the advent of the Fourth Republic in May, 1999, Senator Evan Enwerem with the backing of then President Olusegun Obasanjo, emerged the President of the Fourth Senate, when it was inaugurated on June 7, 1999, although it was not long before the new set of Senators removed Enwerem and replaced him with their choice, Senator Chuba Okadigbo.

Enwerem served out his four-year term as PDP Senator from Imo State in 2003. Five years after, the cold hands of death snatched him after a brief illness in 2008. Last week, the Enwerem family in Abuja organised a book launch to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of their patriarch.

The leadership of the eighth Senate was not left out of the day-long event. Senate President and Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr. Bukola Saraki, used the forum to comment about salient national issues especially, those bordering on the legislature and national development

while also pouring encomium on the late Senate President.

In his speech as Chairman of the occasion, Saraki identified peace in the National Assembly as a panacea for the growth of the legislature, as well as beneficial relationship with other arms of government and national progress.

He lauded Enwerem for laying a solid foundation for the National Assembly in 1999, saying the 8th Senate has benefitted immensely from his legacy of peaceful and friendly disposition as President of the Senate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a lesson to all of us, who are in the saddle of leadership today, that we could all use a dose of the Enwerem example, when in the hot seat. He worked with those who had worked against his emergence as President of the Senate; he won their respect, and was able to turn many of them into dedicated friends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The result of that cooperation and partnership is part of what we are benefitting from today in the 8th Senate, and which we strive to the best of our ability to emulate. Looking back, I think the late Senator Enwerem would be proud

of how far the legislature has come in the Fourth Republic and its contribution to the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

The Eighth Senate, he said, is proud of Enweremâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution in laying the right foundation for the legislature â&#x20AC;&#x153;as we are standing on the shoulders of those who came before us, and the late Senator Evan Enwerem is notable among them.â&#x20AC;?

He stated that the book that was launched in honour of Enwerem bears testimony to what he achieved, working across the political divide in 1999. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are told that he made it clear through his words and actions that he would strive for an inclusive Senate, and he worked for peace. He collaborated with his senatorial colleagues across board, irrespective of party or political antecedents, putting the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest first,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Saraki expressed hope that through the Leadership Foundation and the Lecture, Senator Enweremâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy would live on and his ideas would continue to be propagated respectively to serve as a launch pad for the generation of new

ideas that would enrich society.

Interestingly, the reflections on the years of Enwerem didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop the legislature from forging ahead with other business. Thus, last week, the National Assembly witnessed the defection of one Senator and four House of Representatives members from one party to the other.

Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan had at plenary announced the defection of Senator Joshua Lidani (Gombe South) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while four members of the House told the Green Chamber in a letter to Speaker Yakubu Dogara of their defection to other parties.

The affected legislators are Salisu Koko (Kebbi), who moved from APC to Social Democratic Party (SDP); Mohammed Ajanah (Kogi) from APC to PDP; Rabiu Kaugama from PDP to SDP and Adekunle Akinlade moved from APC to Allied Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movement.

Although no official reasons were given for the lawmakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; defection, it was however learnt that their change

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From the Parliament, a Dedication to Enwerem of parties may not be unconnected with the failure of most if not all the defectors to clinch the tickets of their parties to return to the National Assembly and governorship ticket.

A case in point is Akinlade, the favoured gubernatorial candidate of the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who lost out in the APC gubernatorial primary in the state. He had been rumoured to have defected before making it official, although a different party was being alluded to at the time.

In the coming weeks, defection of more Senators and House members are likely to be witnessed but as it stands today, the APC is believed to still control the majority in both chambers of the National Assembly.

However, many issues were before the lawmakers in the green chamber of the National Assembly last week, but the key ones included the probe of the usage of insurgency war funds and the call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to withdraw his men from the Anambra State House of Assembly.

When the news was confirmed that some Nigerian soldiers were killed by Boko Haram insurgents, the House of Representatives ordered for a probe of the utilisation of funds appropriated for fighting insurgency in the country.

The lawmakers were unanimous in their quest to dig deep into what might have transpired, because there was a near-collective belief that something was wrong somewhere.

Thus, when the Deputy Minority Leader, Hon. Chukwuka Onyema, moved a motion under matters of urgent national importance, he urged the House to debate the matter for the whole day.

But in their motions for amendment to Onyemaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motion, the trio of Hon. Mohammed Abdu, Isaac Gyang and Hassan Saleh, urged the House to rather investigate the funding of military fight against insurgency.

Dogara, on his part, expressed concern over the killings of the soldiers, saying something must have gone wrong in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war against insurgency, particularly, because smaller countries like Chad, Cameroon are able to effectively secure their borders.

The lawmakers therefore resolved that the probe, which is to be conducted by an ad hoc committee, would look into the operational lapses that might have brought about the killing of the soldiers. Part of their resolutions was also that the military high command should make public, the names of the fallen soldiers after consultations with their family members.

When THISDAY spoke to a cross section of lawmakers in the House of Representatives, it was clear that they have divergent opinions on the matter.

While some really suspected foul play, some others were of the opinions that the military had not really been adequately funded.

The Police Inspector-General, Idris, also got his own fair share of legislative venom, when the House urged him to withdraw his men from the Anambra State House of Assembly and allow members access to their offices for legislative functions.

Although yet to come under full legislative scrutiny, Idris became a subject of discussions among lawmakers, who feel some of the activities of his men constituted a breach to the democratic ethos and this is likely to become an issue this new week.

On the Anambra debacle, a member, Hon. Tope Olayonu (Kwara, PDP), in a motion titled: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Illegal and Unconstitutional Takeover and sealing of Anambra State House of Assembly Complex by

Saraki and Dogara in a tete-a-tete

Late Senator Enwerem

the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State on the Directive of His Excellency, Chief Dr. Willie Obiano, the Governor of Anambra State,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; had called for a reversal of the trend.

According to him, the action was perpetuated to frustrate the Icon of democracy, which is the Legislature from performing its constitutional functions. He noted that the act of the Police Commissioner and the Governor of Anambra State, violates the spirit and principles of the 1999 Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges) Act, 2017.

When Speaker Dogara called for a voice vote, the motion was passed without dissent.

Also, Fasholaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name came up more than once in the House last week. First, he was invited to come and shed more light on the failure of a contractor to reconstruct the Mararaba-Mubi-MichikaMadagali-Gwoza road and three bridges at Kudzum, Delchimi and Wurogyande destroyed by Boko Haram insurgent.

Hon. Adamu Kamale representing Michika/Madagali federal constituency in Borno State had in a motion implored the House to direct the Committee on Works to invite Fashola to come and

explain why the three broken bridges have not been repaired.

Apart from the invitation extended to Fashola, the Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and other institutions saddled with the responsibility have been asked to embark on immediate repair of the broken bridges so as to re-connect the Michika/Madagali federal constituency to the rest of Nigeria.

As if that was not enough, in what was said to be a bid to avoid breakdown of law and order, Fashola was again advised to pay compensation on the Right of Way (ROW) and relocate public utilities at the Bonny end of Bonny-Bodo Road Project in Rivers State.

The call followed a motion by the lawmaker representing Degema/ Bonny federal constituency of Rivers State, Hon. Randolph Brown, calling for urgent need to pay compensation on the right of way and relocate public utilities in the affected area.

In his motion, Brown noted that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite the fact that a conclusion on the enumeration and assessment on the compensation for Right of Way (ROW) and relocation of Public Utilities by consultants to the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing had taken place, there is still the refusal to approve the payment and therefore work on the Bonny end of the project is still in coma.â&#x20AC;?

He added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;The project has given hope to the people of Bonny, who form half of my constituents, being the primary target of the project,â&#x20AC;? and that â&#x20AC;&#x153;there is finally a chance of an imminent end to the harrowing experiences they regularly suffer in the hands of sea pirates over the years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If this matter is not given urgent attention, there will be a breakdown of law and order, as tension and suspension has started to arise owing to the unexplainable silence and invariably refusal to pay the compensation on ROW and the relocation of Public Utilities,â&#x20AC;? the federal lawmaker noted.

After adopting the motion, the House mandated its committee on Works and Legislative Compliance to monitor the progress and report to the House in two weeks for further legislative actions.

Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed

was equally not left out. She was urged by the House to release outstanding funds standing to the credit of the judiciary in compliance with Section 81 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) and the Year 2018 Appropriation Act and release to the National Judicial Council all the outstanding funds to the Judiciary.

The resolution of the House was sequel to a motion by the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Hon. Aminu Shehu Shagari titled: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Refusal of the Minister of Finance to release funds outstanding to the credit of the Judiciary.â&#x20AC;?

He brought to the notice of the House that a total sum of 110 Billion was approved for judiciary in the year 2018 Appropriation Act as against the sum of 100 Billion which was proposed by the executive but that the money has not been credited to the judiciary as expected.

Shagari while presenting the motion noted that the Funding of judiciary is on a First Line Charge as stipulated in Section 81 (3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended).

He said it provides that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any amount standing to the credit of the Judiciary in the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation shall be paid and disbursed directly to theâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; National Judiciary Council for disbursement to the heads of Courts established for the Federation and the States under section 6 of this Constitution.â&#x20AC;?

The lawmaker further said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the House Committee on Federal Judiciary in the exercise of its oversight Powers, visited Courts and Judicial Bodies on the 7th and 8th November 2018 in an attempt to ascertain the extent of implementation of the 2018 Budget.

According to the Report that was available to the Committee, the Minister of Finance, who is functionary of the executive arm of the government has been withholding Funds standing to the Credit of the Judiciary as at when due.

The House, therefore, mandated the Committees on Federal Judiciary, Federal Capital Territory Judiciary and Finance to ensure compliance and report back to the House within one week.

84

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž Í°Ë&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

FOREIGN NEWS

George HW Bush: American Hero Demola Ojo with agency reports

B

y the time George Hebert Walker Bush was inaugurated as the 41st president of the United States in January 1989, he was already a war hero, had served as CIA Director and spent eight years as vice-president to Ronald Reagan, thus becoming the first serving vicepresident for more than 150 years to be elected to the highest office.

Born on June 12, 1924 in Milton, Massachusetts, Bush was the son of an investment banker who later became a US senator.

He volunteered for the US Navy after Pearl Harbor and trained as an aviator before being assigned duties in the Pacific where he saw action against the Japanese during World War Two. Just 18, he was the youngest pilot in the Navy, assigned to pilot torpedo bombers off aircraft carriers and flew 58 combat missions. He was shot down in September 1944 while on a bombing raid as his plane filled with smoke and flames that swallowed both wings.

He continued to pilot the aircraft, dropping his bombs on their target and ordered his two fellow crew members to parachute out of the plane but neither man survived.

Choking on the smoke, Bush followed his crew - smashing his head on the tail of the plane as the wind propelled him backwards.

However, he made it into a tiny life-raft and began paddling away from the nearby Japanese island with his hands. Incredibly, a US submarine rose to the surface right next to him and his rescue was even captured on camera.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery.

Following his honourable discharge from the navy in 1945, Bush married 18-year-old Barbara Pierce. Their marriage would last 72 years and they would have six children together. Their first son, the future president George Walker Bush, was born a year later. Barbara Bush passed on earlier this year in April.

Bush had been offered a place at Yale prior to his enlistment in the navy, and he took it up in 1945, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Bush and his family then moved to Texas where, with the use of his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business connections, he got a job in the oil industry.

Initially, he worked as a salesman for Dresser Industries, a company which manufactured oil drilling equipment and which was owned by a friend of his father.

The years following World War II were a boom time for both the US economy and the Texas oil industry and within three years, he had founded his own firm, the Bush-Overbey Oil Development Company, the first of a number of highly successful drilling ventures. By the age of 40, he was a millionaire.

However, his professional interest had turned to politics.

After serving as the chairman of a local branch of the Republican Party he took a major step, seeking and winning the Republican nomination for the US Senate seat for Texas.

The Democratic incumbent successfully branded Bush as a right-wing extremist, gaining 56% of the vote to Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 43%.

Undaunted, Bush successfully stood for the House of Representatives in 1966, where he served for two terms.

President Richard Nixon persuaded Bush to try for the Senate again in 1970 but, again, he was defeated by the Democratic candidate. Instead, Nixon appointed him US ambassador to the United Nations in 1971 and then Republican Party chairman.

When Nixon was forced to resign in 1974, Bush did his best to heal some of the wounds left by Watergate, touring the country in support of Republican candidates. At the end of the year he went to Beijing as head of the new US mission there. After just over a year in China, President Gerald Ford brought him home to take charge of the Central Intelligence Agency, which had been rocked by a series of scandals relating to covert operations abroad and unauthorised spying on US citizens.

Bush left the CIA after Ford left office and, in 1978, began campaigning for the Republican nomination for the 1980 presidential election. He travelled the country, preaching his brand of moderate conservatism and, by the beginning of 1980, had emerged as the main challenger to Ronald Reagan.

But he entered the presidential fray only to find that his privileged past could be a political liability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrong with excellence?â&#x20AC;? he said at the time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrong with having a good education? Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrong with having excelled in my life

Political Life ˞͚Π͞͞Ë? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă? Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x161;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x201C;Ă Ă?Ă? ˞͚ΠͿ͚Ë? Ă&#x201C;âĂ&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013;Ă? Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2014; Ă&#x2039;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2039;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; ˞͚ΠͿ͟Ë? Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17D;Ă? Ă&#x2DC;Ă?ĂĄĂ&#x2013;ĂŁ Ă?Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x152;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2019;Ă?Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Beijing ˞͚ΠͿ͞Ë? Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x17D; Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2022;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2019;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2014; Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; ˞͚ΠÎ&#x20AC;ÍšĚ&#x2039;͚ΠÎ&#x20AC;Î Ë? Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x17D; Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2018;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;ËŞĂ? Ă Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă?Ě&#x2039;Ă&#x161;Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17D;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E; ˞͚ΠÎ&#x20AC;Î Ě&#x2039;͚ΠΠ͝Ë? Ă&#x153;Ă?Ă?Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17D;Ă?Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019;Ă? Ë&#x17E; Ă&#x2013;Ă?Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x17D;Ă? Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122; ʨĂ&#x153;Ă?Ă&#x17E; Ă&#x;Ă&#x2013;Ă? Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x153;Ë&#x17E; Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x161;Ă?Ă? ĂĄĂ&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2019; Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2013;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x161;Ă?Ă? Ă&#x2122;Ă? Ă?Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x201C;Ă?Ă&#x2014; in Eastern Bloc

President George H.W. Bush

Bush (right) and his son GeorgeWBush who later become 43rd president

and business or being a good ambassador in China or the United Nations, or having done an excellent job at the CIA? I have. I know that sounds a little immodest, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my record.â&#x20AC;?

Defeated by Reagan there was, once again, a consolation: a ticket to the White House as Reaganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deputy and eight years of training for the top job itself.

In the 1988 race which delivered George HW Bush to the presidency, he made two fundamental misjudgements.

The first was his choice of vice-presidential candidate: Dan Quayle, a little-known senator from Indiana, who gained international fame through a series of gaffes. The second was in a speech Bush made at the 1988 Republican National Convention.

During an attack on the fiscal policy of his Democratic opponent, Michael Dukakis, Bush made a pledge that was to haunt his presidency and ultimately bring about his political downfall. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Read my lips,â&#x20AC;? he told the assembled delegates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No new taxes.â&#x20AC;? After one of the most acrimonious election campaigns in US history, Bush became the first serving vice-president to be elected to the top job since Martin van Buren in 1836.

It was a time of momentous change which saw the fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of the Soviet empire.

His true test came in August 1990 when the US was caught off-guard by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Bush moved quickly to build an international coalition to end Saddam Husseinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s occupation and establish a US military toehold in Saudi Arabia, a valuable strategic dividend.

He delayed military action in order to give time to secure UN approval for the action. The decision led to a famous rebuke from Margaret Thatcher. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Well, all right, George, but this is no time to go wobbly,â&#x20AC;? said the Iron Lady in a middle-of-the-night phone call from Downing Street.

The subsequent battle proved to be a triumph for American military expertise and a major boost for the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s morale.

In the defining moment of Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presidency, the US and its allies swept across the desert in a ground war lasting just 100

On his 85th Birthday, Bush enjoyed a tandem skydive

hours. Bush ordered 425,000 troops into the Persian Gulf, in what would be called Desert Storm. American-led forces made quick work of the Iraqi army, forcing it from Kuwait and allowing Bush to declare victory.

The victory boosted the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standing despite the fact that US and allied forces stopped well short of Baghdad, allowing Saddam Hussein to remain in power. It would be left to the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s son to topple the Iraqi dictator.

Despite achieving popularity ratings of 90%, Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to concentrate on foreign affairs led to accusations that he was ignoring the worsening economic situation at home, most notably, the longest-lasting recession since World War Two. To make matters worse he did the one thing he had promised he would never do: he raised taxes.

In the 1992 election, Bush could not match the energy of his opponent, the young Democratic governor of Arkansas, Bill Clinton, who conveyed a new vision for America that Bush admitted he simply could not express.

The image that summed it all up came on a trade trip to Japan that ended in dismal failure when the president fainted after vomiting at a banquet laid on by his hosts. Bush went down to a landslide defeat.

After leaving office, Bush focused his time on charity work by raising hundreds of millions of dollars for organizations across the country.

He saw his son, George W. Bush, elected to two terms as president. It was at his sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request that the elder Bush teamed up with former President Clinton to help raise money for relief efforts following the tsunami in Southeast Asia, Hurricane Katrina and the massive earthquake in Haiti.

Bush never lost his zest for life post-presidency; he skydived on his 85th and 90th birthdays.

As president, he would be remembered as an efficient chief executive a great manager of people who navigated his country through uncertain times at the end of the Cold War and during the Gulf War.

85

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

NEWSXTRA 2019: Kukah Challenges Security Agencies on Professionalism Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, His Grace Rev. Father Hassan Kukah, has challenged the security agencies in the country to be professional and neutral in the discharge of their duties during elections, saying it was their responsibility to prove critics wrong over allegations of bias.

Speaking ahead of the 2019 general election, Kukah said many Nigerians had expressed legitimate concern over the need for the nation’s security agencies to eschew bias in their enforcement of law and order especially going by the way they allegedly had handled some of the recent elections.

In an exclusive chat with THISDAY, the vocal cleric also admonished politicians and other political actors to play according to the rules and avoid fueling violence.

While addressing some of the complaints by the opposition parties over alleged biases by security agencies as allegedly exhibited during recent elections in the country, Kukah said the various security forces owed Nigerians a sacred duty to prove critics wrong by conducting their affairs in a most neutral and professional manner.

“It is important that security agencies understand comprehensively that their responsibility is to maintain the territorial integrity of this country and the citizens that live there. Whether we like it or not, everybody is entitled to equal protection. It is like refereeing in a World Cup; the rules that applied to Germany

or Argentina also apply to Gambia or any other country for that matter.

“One hopes that the security agencies in the country have taken note of the concerns by Nigerians, because perceptions are not easy to do away with and it is the responsibility of the security agencies to prove Nigerians wrong on the allegations,” he said.

Kukah, a key member of the National Peace Committee headed by former military Head of State, Abdulsalam Abubakar, said part of the efforts of the team was to douse tension and anxiety among the populace.

“All we are trying to do is to ensure that the process is free and fair but in the final analysis, people have expressed and continued to express deep anxiety and their concerns are legitimate about the security agencies’ conduct themselves.

This has been the tragedy in many developing countries, where security agencies think that the welfare of the Head of State is their responsibility and ultimate duty.

“The Head of State or president is a citizen like every other citizen. For a temporal period you might have power, but if there is no country, you cannot be president,” he said.

The Bishop further admonished politicians to ensure that they studied and understood the provisions of the Electoral Act and to also try as much as possible to adhere to the rules of the game.

He explained that the reason for engaging political parties and politicians was to let them understand the need for a peaceful, credible and transparent electoral process.

Agbaje Kicks off Campaign, Promises Better Lagos Ojo Maduekwe The governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje yesterday kick-started his campaign with promise to deliver a better Lagos to the electorates.

Agbaje made the promise at the Ultima Studio in Lekki where he officially presented his running mate, Mrs. Haleemat Busari part of his campaign promises.

He promised to deliver the Fourth Mainland Bridge, light rail and a minimum of a thousand megawatt electricity in four years, quality and affordable healthcare, good education, blue economy functional water transportation as well as employment for the youths.

Agbaje, who said he had continued his quest to govern Lagos despite failing twice, claimed that he was in the 2019 governorship race to serve.

According to him, the over 20 percent unemployment rate of Lagos was largely caused by lack of electricity. The state

needed 3,000 megawatts to drive small, medium and large scale industries.

He alleged that money that would have been used to develop the state over the years had ended in private pockets, adding that his mandate was to liberate Lagos, and enthrone democracy.

“Our youths are emigrating daily to Canada and United States in search for employment. Under my government, I promise that there will be jobs for the youths. As governor I promise to provide a minimum of 1000 megawatts of power.

“I know that Lagos needs at least 3000 megawatts but I do not want to promise more and achieve less that is why I said I will ensure Lagos produces at least 1000 megawatts.

“I will ensure that our people have quality healthcare that is funded through insurance. We will revive public education in the state so that even the children of the poor can have good education.”

“We are hoping that politicians as major actors in the elections will understand the rules of the game and that was why we called them to a meeting and for them to sign a code of conduct. It is because of their actions and inactions that we are losing hundreds of our people for a process, which in other places are taken for granted.

“We segment who we talk to and we have a sequence of activities. This is just one out of the engagements planned by the peace committee ahead of the 2019 general election.

Kukah said what the National Peace committee was offering was merely a moral voice and that they did not arrogate to themselves the power to solve all the problems associated with elections in the country.

“Last month, we had separate meetings with political parties and security agencies.

We also had meetings with INEC. We have a broad range of interlocutors and we are doing our best to speak to as many segments of the Nigerian populace as possible.

“Politics is about engage-

ment. The peace committee is not going to go out there to cast

your vote. If you have not collected your voter card, there is

nothing the peace committee can do about that,” he added.

YOU ARE WELCOME

Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo receiving Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana recently at the Government House, Accra

Ex-CISN Examiner, Asaju, Charged with Certificate Forgery Kayode Fasua An Igbosere Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos on Wednesday heard of how a former Examiner with the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers of Nigeria (CISN), Mr. Christopher Taiwo Asaju, forged a 1998 Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.

The revelation was made by the Principal Assistant Registrar of the polytechnic, Mr. Abdulateef Lanre-Adi, while being examined by the counsel for Lagos State Directorate of Public Prosecution, Mr. Olaitan Soetan.

Leading another government lawyer, Miss Temitope Olaoye in the criminal prosecution that has been in the court’s docket since March 2017, Soetan sought to know

how Asaju obtained his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and HND from the Kwara State Polytechnic, having used them to work in many places.

In his response, Lanre-Adi, who came to represent the polytechnic’s registrar, Mr. Moses Salami, said the institution received a petition from a law firm, and another, from the police, “that we should investigate his studentship with the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.”

“I was one of the officers detailed to carry out the findings. We discovered that Christopher Taiwo Asaju was our student who obtained an OND in Computer Science in 1993 but up till now, has not come to claim his certificate.

“Again, one of the issues we had to investigate was an HND certificate believed to have emanated from the

polytechnic.

“That HND certificate ascribed to him could not have emanated from the Kwara State Polytechnic because the original certificate of his OND in Computer Science that would have been a precondition for processing the HND is still lying with the polytechnic,” he revealed.

Lanre-Adi stressed that Asaju’s HND certificate in Computer Science purportedly issued him by the polytechnic was apparently forged, as its security features were not those of the Kwara State Polytechnic.

“Besides, on the list of 1997/98 session of HND graduating students, his name could not be found,” he further told the court.

Lanre-Adi said all these formed the polytechnic’s response to the police enquiries,

which was sent to the Lagos Zone 2 of the Nigeria Police Force, Onikan.

He pleaded with the court, saying, “The name of the Kwara State Polytechnic is a highly revered one, which goes to the reputation of the very reason for its existence; and as such, we want the court to do justice on this forgery and impersonation matter.”

But in her response, counsel to the accused person, Mrs. Taiwo Obajimi, urged for adjournment, as she prayed the court for multiple dates for her to cross-examine the prosecution witness.

Replying, the presiding Chief Magistrate, Mr. P.I. Bakare, observed that the case deserved accelerated hearing, having been in the docket since March 2017, with a succession of two judges.

Don’t Forget Fulani in Lagos, Leader Tells Sanwo-Olu

NIMASA Executive Director, Jamoh, Emerges CIoTA President

Sarkin Fulani of Lagos State, Alhaji Mohammed Bambado at the weekend told the governorship candidate of the All progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to remember the Arewa community if God assists him to become governor next year.

The Fulani leader made the request when welcoming SanwoOlu paid him courtesy visit in his palace in Surulere for royal blessings ahead of the March 2, 2019 governorship election.

According to Bambado, many a times, various candidates visited the palace with a lot of promises but at the end, the Arewa Community was forgotten after they have been able to achieve their aims.

He said, “With Sanwo-Olu

Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Bashir Jamoh, has been elected President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration of Nigeria (CIoTA).

Jamoh was elected last week during the institute’s National Conference and Annual General Meeting held in Uyo. He replaces Professor Innocent Ogwude, who stepped down after five years at the helm of CIoTA. The Uyo convention also witnessed the conferment of the institute’s fellowship awards on the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Ports Authority

Segun James

and people around him, the Arewa Community will see changes and to achieve that, the Arewa Community should be part of the government, not minding being minority but we are an important stakeholders and we contribute to the economic development of Lagos State.”

In his remark, Sanwo-Olu commended the able leadership of the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos for the peaceful atmosphere in his domain and the firm control of his subjects.

Sanwo-Olu expressed his delight over his ‘small home coming’ having spent over 35 years growing up in Surulere, stressing that, as a candidate, he has come as a subject to express his regard, honour, pay homage and visitation to important stake holders in the state.

(NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman; former Acting Executive Director, NPA, Mr Sotonye Inyeinengi-Etomi; MD/CEO, Orava Nig. Ltd, Mr. Darlington Nnabugo Ofor; MD/ CEO, White Dove Shipping Company Ltd, Mr Christopher Ucheobi; Director, Road Traffic, Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing, Engr. Oyekanmi Jacob; Alh Abdulssalam Gambo and Engr. Rotimi Fashakin, both Executive Directors in NIMASA; and Mr Akin Makinde, Ms. Ifeoma Ezedinma, and Mrs Ala Dublin-Green, Directors, Inland Transport Services, Regulatory Services, and Deputy Director Legal Services, respectively, at the Nigerian Shippers Council.

86

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ DECEMBER 2, 2018

NEWSXTRA Atiku, Niger Delta Forum Insist on Restructuring Nseobong Okon-Ekong Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar and Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) yesterday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital insisted that restructuring was the only solution to resolving the plethora of problems bedevil-

ing the country.

Abubakar who spoke through his running mate, Dr. Peter Obi reiterated his commitment to restructure the country if voted into power in the presidential contest scheduled to hold on February 16, 2019.

Abubakar, who addressed the PANDEF convention, said

S’West APC Disputes Threaten Buhari’s Re-election He noted that the APC Campaign Council would conduct their own campaign, claiming that Fashola’s group “is to complement whatever the APC Campaign Council will do. The purpose is to bring more votes for Buhari in 2019. We are targeting between 4.5 million and 5 million votes for Buhari out of 6.2 million registered voters.

“We are all members of the APC. The APC Campaign Council is the usual campaign structure. Our support group is to complement whatever our party will do in terms of house to house campaign.

“We are working for the same purpose. We do not want to leave to the party alone. It is not just about our candidate at the state level, but also our candidate at federal level. It is just a complementary effort to assist our party in meeting the goal we have set for ourselves.”

Another arrowhead of the group and former Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba also confirmed the existence of the group, noting that its slogan was “Let the Progress Continue.”

Ibirogba explained the idea “is basically to make an impact. We are in South-west, and Lagos is the heart of the South-west. In Lagos alone, we have 6.2 million registered voters. We cannot leave it to the party alone. We cannot be lackadaisical about it.

“That is why there is need for a push to enable us secure, at least, five million votes for Buhari/Osinbajo. About one month ago, we inaugurated 570 foot soldiers across all LGAs and LCDAs. We will inaugurate 5 foot soldiers in each LGA and LCDA tomorrow.

“Of the five, one person will take care of the youth. Another person will take care of women.

Somebody will be in charge of Ndigbo. Likewise, someone will be in charge of Arewa and so on,” Ibirogba explained.

In Ondo North, findings revealed that Akeredolu supported the senatorial aspiration of Dr. Tunji Abayomi, though the incumbent senator, Prof.

Ajayi Boroffice emerged allegedly with the support of Tinubu.

In Ondo South, THISDAY learnt that Dr. Olatunji AdeoyeFelder, who enjoyed the backing of the governor, equally lost the contest to Senator Yele Omogunwa, currently representing the senatorial district.

Likewise, Chief Victor Ategbole, another loyalist of the governor, defected to the AA to contest the Akoko Southeast/ Southwest Federal Constituency seat in 2019.

Also, a member of the House

of Representatives representing Akoko Northeast/Northwest Federal Constituency, Hon. Stephen Olemija dumped the APC for the AA. Although all the candidates had said that their movement would not affect the number of votes that would be returned for Buhari, many people thought the impact would be much since the election would take place on the same day and given the level of education of the active voting electorate.

The situation in Ondo State had led to a cold war between the Ade Adetimehin-led APC State Executive and a group called Concerned Party Elders being led by the former deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanisi.

A former APC chairman, Isaacs Kekemeke had accused the state executive of working surreptitiously against the interest of Buhari, because of the Akeredolu’s loyalists that had moved to AA. The elders therefore called for the dissolution of the state executive of the party for alleged anti-party activities.

However, the AA candidates had expressed their commitment to work for the return of Buhari for second term in office.

“MydecisiontorunfortheSenate seat would not affect the re-election bid of President Buhari and we have nothing against Governor Akeredolu, but we must do everything legitimately possible to win this mandate for the people.

“It would be uncharitable on our part to abandon the collective wishes of the people simply, because someone procured an automatic ticket. Our people have demonstrated enough commitment to democratic ethos. The people have spoken unequivocally that they are with us and we would not disappoint them” Adeoye-Felder said.

Speaking on the situation, the APC in the state said the executive led

by Adetimehin was committed to ensure victory for all the candidates including Buhari in the general election.

The party in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Alex Kalejaye said: “Wefeelobligedtosay,innoambiguous terms, that members of the State executive have never, and will never contemplate anti-party in APC that holds so much hope for us, individually and collectively as a country.

“The State Chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin, is a true democrat and a party man to the core, who is endowed with rich history of enviable stability in his political history and ideology. His loyalty to the party and its national leadership is without blemish, considering his political records from second Republic to 1999 till date”.

restructuring the country was the only way to go to ensure rapid and sustainable development of the states in particular and the country at large.

He said: “I am only joining to say that we need true federalism and we need it urgently. It will make Nigeria work. There is no country in the world that things are working as it is working in Nigeria. We must tell our leader the truth and we must demand that the do the right thing.

‘’Niger Delta is where the resources are and when you travel around, you are not able to see anything on ground. We are committed to building a better Nigeria. We will focus on turning things around and we will be governed by the rule of law’’ He accused the federal government of using security agencies to aid bad deeds, listing Akwa Ibom and Rivers as states on the frontline of crisis, adding that nobody “is talking

and when you talk you become an enemy’’.

In his remarks, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel noted that the country “must be restructured so as to solve the mirage of problem bedeviling it. We want the country to have true federalism so that we will not have all these problems we are having. If we have a state police, it will be more law abiding.

“They are using this restructuring to intimidate us in the Niger Delta. Everything is about

politics. This 2019 election will come and go. Everything is now based on partisanship.

It should not be. Even though they have sounded the drum of war, this state is still the most peaceful in the country.”

Leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark expressed confidence in the candidacy of Abubakar and stated that there was no going back on his support for him staying that he has what it takes to preside over the affairs of the country.

FOR A HEALTHIER SOCIETY

L-R: Managing Director, Nigerian Medical Services Limited, Dr. Musa Shaibu; Deputy Manager, NMSL, Zainar Sada; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authorty, Hadiza Usman; and Managing Director, Total Nigeria Plc, Niolas Terral, at the 2018 World Aids day in Lagos... yesterday NPA

Bayelsa Blames Insecurity on Frequent Change of Police Chiefs Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa The Bayelsa State Government yesterday expressed anger over the alleged politicisation of security in the state by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Daniel IworisoMarkson made the comment after the 99th State Executive Council meeting, insisting that the development was fuelling insecurity and recent killings in the state.

Markson alleged that the administration of Governor

Seriake Dickson was convinced that the state’s former governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva and Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri were culpable in the latest development.

According to him, both politicians and the APC had in separate statements denied complicity in the rampant deployment of the police commissioners, asking the governor to concentrate on governance rather than making ‘ baseless allegations.

Markson, however, noted

Group Rallies Youths, Women for Atiku Olaseni Durojaiye The Atiku Presidential View Support Group has expressed its determination to rally Nigerian women and youths in all the 36 states of the federation and Abuja as well as in all the 774 local government areas of the country to vote for former vice president, Atiku Abubakar in order to ensure the actualisation of his presidential ambition.

The group stated that its resolve to ensure the actualisation of Atiku’s presidential ambition was borne out of a deep conviction and the former vice president’s capacity to revive the nation’s ailing economy even as they described him as a The group stated that its resolve to ensure the actualisation of

Atiku’s presidential ambition was borne out the conviction that the former vice president would restructure the country, revive the nation’s ailing economy and institutionalise the fight against corruption even as it criticised the current administration’s anti corruption fight as being one sided.

Addressing the media in Lagos yesterday, the National Coordinator of the group, Chris Oghenevwierhe Sodje and the National Women Leader, Princess Funmilayo Micheal, also took pot shots at the All Progressive Congress and the Minister of Information and Culture for calling on the United States Government not grant US entry visa to the presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 presidential elections.

that the state government would seek legal redress “to defend the authority of the government of the state. We condemn in strong terms the worsening security situation in the state occasioned by the frequent change of police commissioners ostensibly for political reasons.

“The erratic deployment of security operatives across the country, mainly in states controlled by opposition parties calls for serious concern and demands the need for urgent action to address the situation.

At least, eight commissioners

of polices in the last three months.

As a government, the commissioner said the state government viewed the action as highly subversive, capable of threatening the existing peaceful and harmonious environment that the government has worked hard to put in place.

He said politicising security in the state by handing it over to both Sylva and Lokpobiri and using their closeness to power in Abuja to undermine the peace of the state bordered on treason.

NPA, Dangote, NNPC, Total Mark 2018 World AIDS Day Eromosele Abiodun The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dangote Foundation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Access Bank and the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA) organised a community outreach in various parts of Lagos, charging residents in the state to know their HIV/AIDS status.

The theme for the 2018 World AIDS Day is: “Know Your Status,” which is a laudable effort towards achievement of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets.

The aim of the UNAIDS

targets is to ensure that 90 percent of people living with HIV should know their status by 2020, 90 percent of identified HIV positive cases would be initiated on Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) and 90 percent of persons on ART would have achieved viral suppression.

The walk, which commenced at 8:30 a.m from Costain Bus Stop, had Managing Director, NPA Hadiza Bala Usman, NiBUCAA Co-chairs, Dr Herbert Wigwe (Managing Director, Access Bank Plc) represented by Emeka Nkwonta , Mr. Nicolas Terraz (Managing Director, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited.

87

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşË&#x153; ͺ͸͚Î&#x20AC;

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by Demola Ojo Email: demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Super Falcons Defeat S/Africa, Lift African Cup Pinnick promises â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;big impactâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; at World Cup

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The Super Falcons of Nigeria proved unbeatable once more as they overcame a stubborn South African Banyana Banyana squad on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes to retain their Women Africa Cup of Nations title in Accra yesterday.

It was the third successive win and ninth overall for the Nigerian girls.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation and CAF 1st Vice President, Amaju Melvin Pinnick, whose birthday it was, told thenff.com: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is very special for me, coming on my birthday. I am very proud of the Super Falcons of Nigeria, and I congratulate them for doing our country proud. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We dedicate this trophy to President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR). This is the Falconsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ninth African title, so the news is not that they won here.

The news is that the Nigeria Football Federation will look for the resources to to give the team solid preparation, so that this time, we will make a big impact at the FIFA World Cup and not simply go there to make up the number.â&#x20AC;?

Triumph was achieved despite the Falcons missing injured striker Desire Oparanozie, and on the back of a 75th minute penalty miss by Asisat Oshoala. It was also against the backdrop of playing consecutive 120 â&#x20AC;&#x201C;minute sessions, four days after surviving a battling semi final against Cameroon.

Opportunities were few and far between in a tight

and cagey game in the Ghanaian capital. Eventual Woman-Of-The-Match, Francisca Ordega on the Nigerian side, and top scorer Thembi Kgatlana on the South African side, came close with sweet touches in the closing stages of the first half, and just before the interval, Rasheedat Ajibade should have done better as the ball spilled to her from a corner kick.

In the 48th minute, Ordega blasted a good chance over the bar, and 14 minutes later, Ngozi Okobiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good move and pull â&#x20AC;&#x201C;out was over hit. In the 75th minute, Ordega ran determinedly onto a brilliant pass from Okobi, but was scythed by goalkeeper Christen Swart. Zambian referee Gladys Lengwe awarded a penalty, but Oshoala screwed her shot wide.

Okobi and Ordega would miss chances late on, and substitute Nompumelelo Nyandeni came close with five minutes left but goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, excellent throughout, was on hand to save.

Oluehi would save from Kgatlana and Linda Motlhalo in extra time, just as Oshoala watched a good shot stopped by Swart.

In the shoot â&#x20AC;&#x201C;out, Onome Ebi missed Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first kick, hitting the upright, but after Alice Matlou and Ngozi Ebere netted, Lebohang Ramalepe booted her effort wide.

Rita Chikwelu and Nyandeni scored, as did Chinwendu Ihezuo and Mamello Makhabane, but after Chinaza Uchendu found the roof in a cool

Woman of the Match, Francisca Ordega

manner, Motlhalo watched in agony as Oluehi stretched to stop her kick and hand Nigeria the trophy.

Bronze medal winners, Cameroon, who also qualified for the FIFA World Cup, picked up the Fair Play trophy.

Arsenal Face Tottenham Test on Derby Day Arsenal host high-flying Tottenham Hotspur at the Emirates today off the back of a dismal record in recent times. Victory this weekend would see Arsenal move level on 30 points with Spurs in the Premier League table.

The Gunners have won just one of their last eight Premier League matches against their north London rivals, although that win came at the Emirates last season.

In their quest for victory, Arsenal hope to have Alexandre Lacazette available. The striker missed the 2-1 win at Bournemouth last weekend with a minor groin complaint and did not travel to Ukraine on Thursday for the Europa League game against Vorskla Poltava.

Unai Emery played a youthful side in Kiev and is expected to ring the changes against Spurs today.

Spurs have won their last six matches in a row in all competitions and ended Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unbeaten start to the season with a 3-1 victory last weekend. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is important to build that confidence, to trust in the way that we play.â&#x20AC;? said manager Mauricio Pochettino. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But the derby is always a different game and our approach will be different. We know very well what it means for our fans and we hope to be at

the level that we expect. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care what is going on around us. We have improved from last season and after 13 games we have more points than last season. Arsenal are the same too. They are having an amazing season, like Manchester City or Liverpool. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But it is only 13 games and there is still a lot to play. We will see what happens. We are coming to a period that is so difficult to manage, between now and Christmas we have a lot of games. In the next few months we will see if we are going to be there.â&#x20AC;?

Arsenal will assess the fitness of Lacazette, who returned to training this week. Nacho Monreal (hamstring), Konstantinos Mavropanos (groin) and Danny Welbeck (ankle) remain sidelined, while Mesut Ozil will be pushing for a recall after sitting on the bench at Bournemouth.

Erik Lamela is a doubt for Spurs after suffering a thigh injury in Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Champions League win over Inter Milan.

Kieran Trippier is close to a return from a groin injury, which has kept him out of the last two games.

Mousa Dembele, Davinson Sanchez and Victor Wanyama are out.

Spurs have won just one of their last 25 away

SWAN Decries Non-release of Funds to Nasarawa Sports Festival Contingent

Mesut Ozil (right) evades Dele Alli in a previous encounter between both sides

Premier League games against Arsenal (D10 L14), a 3-2 victory in November 2010.

Premier League matches between Arsenal and Tottenham have seen both teams find the net more often than any other fixture in the competition (34).

Tandoh Hails New Asoju Oba Champions Kunle Adewale

Emmanuel Ukumba in LaďŹ a

The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Nasarawa State has decried the non release of funds by the state government for the 19th National Sports Festival, Abuja 2018.

SWAN said it was particularly worried

RESULTS & FIXTURES Crystal Palace HuddersďŹ eld Leicester Man City Newcastle Southampton Chelsea Arsenal Liverpool

2-0 Burnley 1â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2 Brighton 2-0 Watford 3 - 1 AFC Bournemouth 0-3 West Ham 2-2 Man United v Fulham 1pm v Tottenham 3:05pm v Everton 5:15pm

over poor preparations and non camping of athletes to the festival a week to the commencement of the festival.

A statement signed by the Nasarawa chairman of SWAN, Cheke Emmanuel, and made available to sportswriters yesterday in Lafia, expressed fear that the National Sports Festival would not go the way of the 2018 National Youth Games in Ilorin, where the state was fined N5.5m for not participating in the tournament.

The statement called on the state government, to as matter of urgency, release funds to the state ministry of Sports and Youth Development to enable her mobilise the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contingent to the festival.

It therefore, urged sports administrators in the state to live up to their responsibilities by genuinely funding and coordinating sports activities to achieve optimal performance in the state.

Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 11 Premier League matches (W8 D3), since losing against Chelsea back in August.

Arsenal have scored a league-high 21 goals in the second half of Premier League games this season.

The Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Dr Kweku Tandoh has hailed the new champion in the Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Singles of Asoju Oba Table Tennis Championship, saying that his victory has further proved that the state is on course in its developmental programmes.

The 50th edition of the Asoju Oba Table Tennis Molade Okoya-Thomas Championship ended at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on Friday with David Fayele, who can be regarded as a local boy, taking the shine off Europe-based Olajide Omotayo in the final that ended 4-2.

Fayele of the Nigerian Army was presented with the star prize of the competition, a brand new car courtesy of the family of the late Sir Molade Okoya-Thomas, the sponsor of the oldest running competition in Nigeria.

To Tandoh, Fayele defeating an experienced Omotayo who is based abroad was a testimony that Lagos is a breeding ground for upcoming

talents, who would take over from the ageing athletes very soon.

He said Fayele will be one of the several youngsters Team Lagos will parade at the 19th National Sports Festival, which holds in Abuja from 6-16 December, adding that the commission would leave nothing to chance to ensure Team Lagos have good outing in Abuja.

Reacting to his victory over Omotayo, the new champion said that he was able to overcome the challenge of his opponent with determination and focus. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I discovered that I would be playing Omotayo who is based abroad, I had to double up my training and as a soldier, I have this strong belief that a civilian cannot defeat a soldier in any contest. I want to assure that I will repeat this feat at the Sports Festival in Abuja,â&#x20AC;? said Fayele, who won the mixed double event with Nimota Aregebsola.

In the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s singles, Bose Odusanya defeated Aregesola in a game that ended 4-2. Odusanya was also a proud owner of a brand new car.

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Sunday December 2, 2018

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MISSILE

Buhari to Nigerians “We must resist the temptation to play politics with the tragedy of the deaths of our soldiers. They are heroes on the frontlines, fighting to make Nigeria a safer place for us all.”

– President Muhammadu Buhari while reacting to the killing of Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram.

ATIKU ABUBAKAR GUEST COLUMNIST

To Win the War on Terror, We Need Opportunities and Jobs

I

n order to defeat terror, Nigeria needs a well thought out antiterror plan and one thing that must be central to that plan is the buy in of the people because terror can only thrive where there is local support. Take that local support structure away and the terror architecture will collapse like a pack of cards.

Terrorists are themselves human beings.

Terror groups depend on recruiting from the local communities to replenish their ranks or they cannot grow. The members of Boko Haram are not spirits and while there definitely is some foreign influence, the overwhelming number of their leadership and followers are members of the local population.

Central to our plans for defeating terror therefore must be to find out why young men in those communities are aggrieved enough to be alienated from Nigeria and attracted to the radical philosophy of Boko Haram and ISWAP. When we find out, we must prevent this alienation from occurring.

The key to answering this question is to look at the economy of Nigeria and how that economy is distributed.

Within Nigeria, the heartland of the terror insurgency is the Northeast, with Borno and Yobe states being the hardest hit. Surely, it cannot be a coincidence that the Northeast is also the most economically backward part of Nigeria with Borno and Yobe states worst affected.

Recently, someone called Nigerian youths “lazy”. Rightly, there was an uproar over that indecorous slandering of a whole generation, but that type of mentality exposes the mindset that has led to the alienating of huge swathes of our youth, especially in the Northeast.

When Nigerian youths feel that they are not valued as equal members of society that should have equal access to opportunity, they begin to take matters into their own hands.

When the leadership of a nation fail to provide positive avenues for the youth to assert their intelligence positively, then the youth will find negative uses to express their innate intelligences.

Lack of access to education is linked to poverty and poverty is undoubtedly an incubator for crime, terrorism or militancy.

On November 22, 2016, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed that a whopping 70% of children in Kebbi state are not in school. They also revealed that they do not have reliable figures for states such as Borno and Yobe, but the numbers may well be more. Even likely so.

In 2016, my running mate, former Governor Peter Obi, gave an Independence Day speech at The Platform event organised by Covenant Christian Centre in Lagos. It was an unforgettable Independence Day event

Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai

which, according to Google analytics, was the most searched item in Nigeria on that day, besting even the President’s own speech.

Why was that speech so attractive to Nigerians? It is because Mr. Obi gave a detailed breakdown of the reality of governance in Nigeria today, which is one of a wasteful squandering of the riches that should have gone into the development of our youth.

And he is not alone in noticing this.

Youth everywhere and especially in the Northeast are seeing this. The Nigerian government and the Nigerian elite are not offering them a way out of this dilemma. However, anti social groups, like Boko Haram and ISWAP, are exploiting their dissatisfaction with society and are offering our youth a utopian ideal which is in reality a dystopia.

These youth read about highly connected government officials who pilfer N200 million that was meant for Internally Displaced Persons, without so much as a slap on the wrists, they hear about suspected mega thieves who are returned by government, reinstated into the civil service, given promotions and armed guards and treated like royalty.

These events only deepen their alienation from society and affirm the twisted messages of groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. To defeat terrorism therefore, we need to arm our military and motivate them with good working conditions and terms

We must accept the wisdom that a provision of equal opportunity and social justice is the panacea to almost all of the ills of society

of services, especially for the lower ranks who face the greatest risks and are the least paid. We need to demonstrate that when you fight for Nigeria, Nigeria will fight for you, but even more importantly, we must show that when you die in the services of Nigeria, your name and your survivors will be celebrated by the society that you died for.

We must also help our military win the hearts and minds of the people of the Northeast by empowering them to open soup kitchens where they give food to the hungry. We must encourage them to set up field hospitals where they treat the local population free of charge. Even something as giving each soldier a pocketful of sweets to handout to little children on the streets will help the military win the love and affection of the local population and turn their allegiance to our armed forces.

That is one part of the plan. The other part of the plan, which is even more important, is that we must starve Boko Haram and ISWAP of their recruiting tool by quickly and effectively restructuring Nigeria so that we have a society that allows for inclusiveness and social justice.

A very good first step is to go back in time to find out why an initially peaceful movement became violent. It all started with the extra judicial murder of their charismatic preacher and founder Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf.

In fact, the current leader of ISWAP, is Mohammed Yusuf’s son, Abu Musab al-Barnawi. It is clear that that act of extra judicially killing Mohammed Yusuf is one of the grudges that these groups have against the Nigerian state.

We must deprive Boko Haram of the means of claiming injustice as the rationale behind its insurgency by trying all those behind Mohammed Yusuf‘s extra judicial murder.

As Theodore Parker said “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”.

Just as we are satisfying this moral debt, as a nation, we must ensure that there is a fairer redistribution of the wealth of Nigeria amongst all Nigerians. Our budgeting system must be upended and we must have the political will to start spending more on capital expenditures than on recurrent expenditures.

We must curb waste in government by eliminating security votes and those wasteful spendings highlighted

by Governor Peter Obi which include, but are not limited to, eliminating huge and expensive convoys, overseas medical treatment at public expense, reducing unnecessary travel and building people instead of building edifices.

We must learn from countries like Rwanda that has stabilised its society by statutorily reserving 30% of all legislative seats for women. As the late Kofi Annan said in 2006, “there is no tool for development more effective

than the empowerment of women. No other policy is as likely to raise economic productivity, or to reduce infant and maternal mortality”.

When you empower a woman, you empower a family, a village, a community and eventually, a nation.

In our case, we can go further by reserving at least 35% of all legislative and executive positions for not just women, but also for our youth, at all levels of government, federal, states and local governments. We must convert our youths from onlookers to stakeholders.

They must see that it is easier for them to influence the direction of Nigeria by going into government or business than by going into crime or terrorise.

But above all, we must massively invest in education by building capacity, which must not just be limited to establishing more schools, but by training teachers.

In a situation where we do not even have enough teachers, it is a mistake to sack the few that we have because they fail adhoc examinations. Instead, we must build their capacity to teach via training and continuous development.

It is impossible to have 70% of the children of a state outside the formal school system without having destabilising crime and terrorism such as we are currently having in Nigeria.

And it will be a mistake to fight only the symptoms without fighting the cause.

We must accept the wisdom that a provision of equal opportunity and social justice is the panacea to almost all of the ills of society.

By reversing our budgeting ratio from 7-3 in favour of recurrent to 7-3 in favour of capital expenditure, we will create an atmosphere for jobs.

If we are building and rebuilding infrastructure, there will be jobs for our youth. They will have increased purchasing power, which will itself lead to further jobs flowing from the goods and services they patronise. They will keep their monies in banks, which will result in more liquidity with which the banks can then provide loans to more small and medium scale enterprises.

The snowball effect is almost limitless.

Again, let me state that we have to make these changes to rescue our nation from the brink. Only last week, the World Bank revealed that in recent years, Nigeria “has underinvested in human capital and remains very low compared to others.”

If we do not address these negative indices, we will continue to totter, while nations that sufficiently invest in their youth make advances that we can only dream of.

These are the only ways we can decisively defeat terror and defeat it we must otherwise anarchy await us. t8B[JSJ "UJLV "CVCBLBS JT UIF 1SFTJEFOUJBM DBOEJEBUF PG UIF 1FPQMFT %FNPDSBUJD 1BSUZ

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